[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 737 Introduced in House (IH)]
112th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 737
Supporting the goals and ideals of National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing
and Awareness Day, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 19, 2012
Ms. Waters (for herself, Mr. Towns, Mr. Clay, Ms. Norton, Ms.
Richardson, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Butterfield, Ms. Lee of
California, Mrs. Christensen, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Jackson Lee
of Texas, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Mr. Rush, Ms. Bass of California, Ms.
Woolsey, Ms. Loretta Sanchez of California, and Mr. Hastings of
Florida) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Supporting the goals and ideals of National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing
and Awareness Day, and for other purposes.
Whereas HIV/AIDS is a devastating epidemic that continues to spread in
communities throughout the United States;
Whereas approximately 1,700,000 people in the United States have been infected
by HIV/AIDS since the first cases were reported 31 years ago;
Whereas there are approximately 1,200,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in the
United States today;
Whereas there are approximately 50,000 new HIV infections and approximately
18,000 new AIDS-related deaths every year in the United States;
Whereas every 9\1/2\ minutes another person in the United States becomes
infected with HIV;
Whereas President Barack Obama released the National HIV/AIDS Strategy on July
13, 2010, in order to refocus attention on the domestic HIV/AIDS
epidemic;
Whereas the National HIV/AIDS Strategy focuses on three major goals, including
reducing the number of new HIV infections, increasing access to care and
improving health outcomes for people living with HIV and AIDS, and
reducing HIV-related health disparities;
Whereas HIV/AIDS is spreading rapidly among women, young people, and racial
minorities, all of which are demographic groups that were not considered
to be at significant risk of HIV infection during the early years of the
epidemic;
Whereas women account for 23 percent of new HIV infections in the United States;
Whereas African-Americans account for 44 percent of new HIV infections, although
only 12 percent of the population as a whole is Black;
Whereas Hispanic-Americans account for 20 percent of new HIV infections,
although only 16 percent of the population as a whole is Hispanic;
Whereas Asian-Americans account for 2 percent of new HIV infections, and Native
Americans and Alaskan Natives account for 1 percent of new HIV
infections;
Whereas African-American women account for 64 percent of new AIDS cases among
women and 57 percent of new HIV infections among women;
Whereas people of color account for 68 percent of new HIV infections;
Whereas about 20 percent of the people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States
do not know they are infected;
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines for HIV
screening in health care settings recommend routine HIV testing for all
patients between the ages of 13 and 64, regardless of risk factors;
Whereas individuals are more likely to act responsibly and protect themselves
and other persons in the community when they know their HIV status;
Whereas encouraging people to be tested for HIV is a critical element in HIV/
AIDS prevention and treatment efforts;
Whereas individuals who are HIV-positive must learn their status in order to
obtain counseling on managing their health, access appropriate medical
and social services, begin life-prolonging treatment, and take actions
to avoid spreading the virus to others;
Whereas physicians, physician's assistants, nurses, dentists, and other
clinicians play a vital role in providing access to HIV/AIDS awareness,
testing, treatment, and referral services, and in encouraging patients
to get tested for HIV;
Whereas Howard University College of Medicine has declared July 21, 2012, to be
the fifth annual National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day
in an effort to encourage clinicians nationwide to become actively
involved in HIV/AIDS awareness, testing, treatment, and referral
services;
Whereas a diverse group of organizations representing communities affected by
HIV/AIDS have partnered with Howard University College of Medicine to
promote the goals and ideals of National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and
Awareness Day;
Whereas the fifth annual National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day
will give all physicians, physician assistants, nurses, dentists, and
other clinicians an opportunity to get personally involved in the fight
against HIV/AIDS by taking an HIV test, personally demonstrating the
importance as well as the ease of HIV testing;
Whereas the National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day will be a
call to action to clinicians nationwide to lead the way in dispelling
the myths and stigma associated with HIV testing and become vocal
advocates for patients and communities; and
Whereas the National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day will
encourage clinicians to become actively involved in HIV/AIDS awareness,
testing, treatment, and referral services: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) supports the goals and ideals of the fifth annual
National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day;
(2) encourages primary care physicians and other clinicians
nationwide to become actively involved in HIV/AIDS awareness,
testing, treatment, and referral services;
(3) encourages the media to observe the fifth annual
National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day by
educating clinicians about the important role they play in
providing access to HIV/AIDS awareness, testing, treatment, and
referral services and by educating clinicians and the public
about the benefits of HIV testing; and
(4) encourages individuals to get tested for HIV and
educate themselves about the prevention and treatment of HIV/
AIDS.
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