AIDS

AIDS -- (House of Representatives - September 27, 2006)

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, 25 years after the start of the devastating global HIV/AIDS pandemic, this disease is still devastating black America. Among young people, among women, among men, African Americans are most at risk of getting infected with HIV and developing AIDS and dying of this disease. Enough is enough.

Over the last 5 years, this Republican-led Congress has done nothing to recognize this pandemic and the scope of this problem. We need to focus our efforts on the spread of HIV and AIDS in our prison system and provide routine but rigorous HIV testing, linked with treatment, to all incarcerated individuals, and support Congresswoman Waters' H.R. 6038, the Stop AIDS in Prisons Act.

We need to pass my bill, H.R. 6083, the JUSTICE Act, to allow condoms, yes, condoms, in our prisons and to demand accountability in stopping the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections among incarcerated individuals.

Mr. Speaker, this is a state of emergency. Let us declare it. We must declare it. We must declare resources to confront it. The entire Congress needs to support more funding for the Minority AIDS Initiative, beginning with a minimum of $610 million for the Minority AIDS Initiative. Let us declare this state of emergency.

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