IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 363 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Caribbean American HIV/AIDS 

Awareness Day, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 22, 2008 

Ms. LEE submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 

the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Caribbean 

American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, and for other purposes. 

Whereas nearly 3,000,000 Americans self-identified as Caribbean American in the 2000 Census; 

Whereas due to ongoing racial and ethnic health disparities 

Caribbean Americans face poor health, premature death, 

low-quality health care, and an additional community 

stigma regarding HIV/AIDS and its causes; 

Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

(CDC) estimates that over 1,000,000 people were living 

with HIV/AIDS at the end of 2003 and that over 

250,000 were unaware that they were infected; 

Whereas the CDC recognizes continuing racial and ethnic disparities among people with HIV/AIDS and cites working 


jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
2 

•HCON 363 IH 

to end such disparities as a key initiative in the fight 

against HIV/AIDS; 

Whereas the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS 

(UNAIDS) estimates that 230,000 people were living 

with HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean at the end of 2007 and 

that an additional 17,000 were newly infected, making 

the region the second-most affected by HIV in the world; 

Whereas UNAIDS estimates that approximately 11,000 people in the Caribbean died of AIDS during 2007, making 

it one of the leading causes of death in the Caribbean 

among adults between the ages of 15 to 44 years old; 

Whereas according to the Bureau of the Census, immigration 

to the United States from the Caribbean has increased 

every decade since 1941, with 978,800 Caribbean emigrants entering the United States from 1991 to 2000; 

Whereas according to the Department of Homeland Security, 

2,569,124 people coming from the Caribbean have obtained legal permanent status in the United States since 

1980, including 114,318 in 2007 alone; 

Whereas on June 8, 2006, the first annual National Caribbean American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day was organized 

to encourage Caribbean American and Caribbean-born individuals across the United States and its territories, to 

get educated, get tested, get treated, and get involved; 

and 

Whereas June 8th of each year has been established as National Caribbean American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That the Congress— 


jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
3 

•HCON 363 IH 

1 (1) supports the goals and ideals of National 

2 Caribbean American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day and 

3 recognizes the third anniversary of observing such 

4 day; 

5 (2) encourages State and local governments, in6 cluding their public health agencies, to recognize 

7 such day, to publicize its importance among their 

8 communities, and to encourage Caribbean Ameri9 cans, Caribbean-born individuals, and all people in 

10 the United States and its territories to know their 

11 status and undergo testing for HIV; 

12 (3) encourages national, State, and local media 

13 organizations to carry messages in support of Na14 tional Caribbean American HIV/AIDS Awareness 

15 Day; and 

16 (4) supports the development of a national 

17 AIDS strategy with clear goals and objectives to re18 duce new HIV infections, especially among commu19 nities of color. 

Æ 


jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS