Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of the First Reported AIDS Case

Floor Speech

TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST REPORTED AIDS CASE

Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, I rise to recognize a bittersweet occasion: the 25th anniversary of the first reported AIDS case. June 5 will forever be a day to reflect upon the lives that have been impacted by the HIV/AIDS virus and the significant progress we have made in its detection, control, and treatment. While much ground has been gained over the last quarter of a century, there remains a great deal of work to be done. That is why I stand today to pledge a sustained commitment to the global fight against HIV/AIDS--a fight that we cannot abandon until and effective cure is discovered.

Twenty-five years ago, Dr. Michael Gottlieb with the UCLA Hospital reported an extremely rare pneumonia in five young gay men to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC. One of these men, named ``Chuck,'' was from Oregon. Unbeknownst to Dr. Gottlieb, this seemingly insignificant incident ultimately evolved into one of the most significant health events of the modern era. It was 3 years later that the cause of this mysterious outbreak of pneumonia was attributed to the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV. Sadly, for ``Chuck'' this discovery was made too late; he passed away shortly after he fell ill.

Since 1981, an estimated 25 million individuals have died from the AIDS virus worldwide. What is even more alarming is that 16,000 new cases of HIV are diagnosed every day, quickly adding to the 40 million people who have already contracted the virus. Statistics such as these are disheartening given the scientific and medical progress we have made since the first cases of the illness were reported.

In the United States, an estimated 1.039 million to 1.185 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2003, a 20-percent increase over the estimated number of cases at the end of 2002. While the number of persons with HIV in Oregon is small relative to other States, we nevertheless saw an 85-percent increase in the number of HIV-reported cases between 2002 and 2003. Not since the height of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s has there been so many Americans living with this terrible illness.

Congress has a great opportunity to further the domestic fight against HIV/AIDS this year. Reauthorization of the Ryan White CARE Act currently is underway, and I am confident that the House and the Senate can pass a bill by the end of this Congress that improves the scope and quality of services provided to those living with HIV/AIDS. As deliberations continue, it is important that we focus upon improving the equitable distribution of resources to States, municipalities, and community-based organizations, and that we not arbitrarily restrict their ability to provide the best care possible to those who need it. Nonprofit groups such as Cascade AIDS in Portland, OR, rely upon Ryan White CARE funds to offer a wide-range of both medical and social support services, like emergency housing and nutritional assistance. We must ensure that the changes we make to the CARE Act strengthen--not harm--the ability of organizations like Cascade AIDS to serve those living with HIV/AIDS.

As we move forward with the annual appropriations process, it is important that we provide a much needed increase in funding to all Ryan White CARE Act programs, but especially the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, ADAP. A key component to the defense against HIV/AIDS is access to cutting-edge pharmaceutical treatments. These lifesaving medications are often so expensive that they remain out of reach to low-income and uninsured individuals. ADAP bridges that gap and provides antiretroviral drugs and important medical care to over 150,000 people each year. Unfortunately, ADAP's historical underfunding has accumulated to a point where almost $200 million is needed to meet outstanding need in the program. Congress must commit the necessary resources to meet the entire demand for ADAP's services. We cannot afford to lose the ground we have gained in the fight against HIV/AIDS by restricting access to critical pharmaceutical treatments.

As successful as ADAP has been at keeping individuals healthy and productive, critical gaps in our approach to HIV treatment and prevention remain. For example, HIV positive individuals have access to treatment under Medicaid only after they have developed full-blown AIDS. To remedy this oversight, I introduced the Early Treatment for HIV Act, ETHA, S. 311, along with Senator HILLARY CLINTON. By providing access to HIV therapies and important medical care before such persons develop AIDS, ETHA would reduce overall Medicaid costs and, as important, improve the quality of life of those living with the virus. I ask my colleagues to consider this legislation before the end of this session of Congress, so we can begin saving lives and dollars by increasing access to more effective and efficient HIV/AIDS medical care.

We have much to be proud of on the 25th anniversary of the first reported AIDS case. The virus responsible for the epidemic has been identified; appropriate treatments have been developed as a result of innovate medical research; and governments and other organizations across the globe have committed significant resources to the continued fight against the disease. I am confident that in the near future we will be able to commemorate this day by celebrating the eradication of the pain and suffering that has been caused by HIV/AIDS since its discovery.

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