H. Con. Res. 426 Agreed to October 2, 2008

One Hundred Tenth Congress 

of the 

United States of America 

AT THE SECOND SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Thursday, 

the third day of January, two thousand and eight 

Concurrent Resolution 

Whereas the Minority AIDS Initiative was established on October 

28, 1998, under the leadership of the Congressional Black Caucus, 

to target funds for the awareness, prevention, testing, and treatment of HIV/AIDS toward racial and ethnic minority communities 

and toward community-based organizations and health care providers serving these communities; 

Whereas HIV/AIDS is a devastating epidemic that continues to 

spread in communities throughout the United States; 

Whereas there are more than 1,000,000 people living with HIV/ 

AIDS in the United States today; 

Whereas there are more than 14,000 AIDS-related deaths every 

year in the United States; 

Whereas approximately 1 in 4 of the people living with HIV/AIDS 

in the United States do not know they are infected; 

Whereas racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionately 

impacted by HIV/AIDS; 

Whereas African-Americans account for about half of new AIDS 

cases, although approximately 13 percent of the population as 

a whole is Black, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that African-Americans accounted for 45 

percent of new HIV infections in 2006; 

Whereas Hispanic-Americans account for 19 percent of new AIDS 

cases, although only 15 percent of the population as a whole 

is Hispanic, and the CDC estimates that Hispanic-Americans 

accounted for 17 percent of new HIV infections in 2006; 

Whereas Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders account for 1 percent of new AIDS cases, and Native Americans and Alaskan 

Natives account for up to 1 percent of new AIDS cases; 

Whereas approximately 70 percent of new AIDS cases are racial 

and ethnic minorities; 

Whereas the CDC recently released new estimates of HIV infection, 

which indicate that approximately 56,300 new HIV infections 

occurred in the United States in 2006; 

Whereas these new estimates are approximately 40 percent higher 

than the CDC’s previous estimates of 40,000 new infections per 

year; 

Whereas the CDC’s data confirms that the most severe impact 

continues to be among gay and bisexual men of all races, and 

Black men and women; 
H. Con. Res. 426—2 

Whereas the purpose of the Minority AIDS Initiative is to enable 

community based organizations and health care providers in 

minority communities to improve their capacity to deliver culturally and linguistically appropriate HIV/AIDS care and services; 

Whereas concerned Members of Congress, including members of 

the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic 

Caucus, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and 

the Congressional Hispanic Conference, continue to support the 

Minority AIDS Initiative; 

Whereas the Minority AIDS Initiative continues to provide funding 

to community-based organizations, research institutions, 

minority-serving colleges and universities, health care organizations, State and local health departments, correctional institutions, and other providers of health information and services 

to help such entities address the HIV/AIDS epidemic within the 

minority populations they serve; 

Whereas Congress codified the Minority AIDS Initiative within 

the most recent reauthorization of the Ryan White CARE Act; 

Whereas the Minority AIDS Initiative fills gaps in HIV/AIDS outreach, awareness, prevention, treatment, surveillance, and infrastructure across communities of color; and 

Whereas, October 28, 2008, is the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Minority AIDS Initiative: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That the Congress— 

(1) recognizes and commemorates the 10th anniversary 

of the establishment of the Minority AIDS Initiative; 

(2) commends the efforts of community-based organizations 

and health care providers in minority communities to deliver 

culturally and linguistically appropriate HIV/AIDS care and 

services within the minority populations they serve; 

(3) encourages racial and ethnic minorities and all Americans to educate themselves about the prevention and treatment 

of HIV/AIDS and reduce HIV related stigma; 

(4) encourages the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to appropriately address populations significantly impacted 

by HIV/AIDS not only through the Minority AIDS Initiative, 

but through all available programs; and 

(5) supports the continuing efforts of the Minority AIDS 

Initiative to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS and urges effective, 
H. Con. Res. 426—3 

compassionate treatment and care to individuals affected by 

HIV/AIDS. 

Attest: 

Clerk of the House of Representatives. 

Attest: 

Secretary of the Senate.