Wexler Votes To Preserve Funding For Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Act

Press Release

Wexler Votes To Preserve Funding For Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Act

Congressman Wexler issued the following statement to mark the passage of S.1793, the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009:

"Today, I voted in favor of extending the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment. Originally enacted in 1990, this bipartisan legislation continues to serve as a resource of last resort for the over 500,000 Americans living with HIV/AIDS including over 100,000 in Florida alone. This law will continue to provide drugs, outreach, and core medical services for low-income, uninsured, and underinsured individuals living with HIV/AIDS.

"I am pleased that Congress acted swiftly and decisively to preserve this law that is so important to so many Americans. Thanks to advances in medicine, an HIV diagnosis is no longer a death sentence; however, these life-saving drugs should be available to everyone -- not just those who can afford them. I join President Obama's call to develop and implement a comprehensive National HIV/AIDS Strategy in order to finally tackle this terrible disease that affects so many Americans. Today's vote is but a first step in the fight against this devastating virus. I encourage all Americans to mark this vote by taking their health into their own hands by getting tested for HIV and working to reduce HIV transmission."

The most recent extension of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment is scheduled to expire on October 31, 2009. This bill reauthorizes this program for four more years and increases funding by 5 percent per year to address the growing need.

Congressman Robert Wexler is Chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe and a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Judiciary Committee. Recently, Congressman Wexler served as an advisor on Middle East issues to President Barack Obama during his 2008 presidential campaign.

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