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[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 265 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 265

    Recognizing the importance of a continued commitment to ending 
                       pediatric AIDS worldwide.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 15, 2015

Ms. Lee (for herself, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Diaz-Balart, Mr. McDermott, 
Ms. Maxine Waters of California, Mr. Curbelo of Florida, Mr. Franks of 
    Arizona, Mr. Quigley, Mr. Reichert, Ms. McCollum, Mr. Brooks of 
 Alabama, and Mr. Dold) submitted the following resolution; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the 
   Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
    Recognizing the importance of a continued commitment to ending 
                       pediatric AIDS worldwide.

Whereas despite increased global and United States efforts nearly 700 children 
        were born HIV positive each day in 2013;
Whereas approximately half of the 35,000,000 people living with HIV worldwide 
        are women and 3,200,000 are children in 2013;
Whereas 90 percent of children living with HIV are in sub-Saharan Africa;
Whereas in 2013 only a quarter of children with HIV were receiving 
        antiretroviral therapy;
Whereas without treatment half of children with HIV will die by their second 
        birthday, and 80 percent by their fifth birthday;
Whereas 190,000 children died of AIDS-related causes in 2013;
Whereas HIV is a leading cause of death among women of childbearing age 
        worldwide;
Whereas nearly 90 percent of HIV-positive expectant mothers in need of HIV 
        services worldwide live in 22 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and India;
Whereas in 2005, only 14 percent of women were receiving prevention of mother-
        to-child transmission services and that number in 2013 is 67 percent;
Whereas when antiretroviral drugs are used as prophylaxis, mother-to-child 
        transmission of HIV can be reduced to less than 5 percent;
Whereas since 2001 the number of children born HIV positive has been cut in 
        half;
Whereas the United States began investing in prevention of mother-to-child 
        transmission (PMTCT) services in 2002 with the announcement of the 
        United States International Mother and Child HIV Prevention Initiative;
Whereas in fiscal year 2014, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief 
        (PEPFAR) supported HIV testing and counseling for more than 14,200,000 
        pregnant women and provision of antiretroviral drug prophylaxis to 
        prevent mother-to-child transmission for more than 749,313 of these 
        women who tested positive for HIV, allowing approximately 240,000 
        infants to be born HIV-free;
Whereas existing commitments to eliminating mother to child transmission of HIV, 
        and keeping mothers alive expire in 2015;
Whereas in 2014, PEPFAR announced the Accelerating Children's Treatment 
        Initiative (ACT) that will double the number of HIV positive children on 
        treatment over two years in 10 high-burden countries;
Whereas every mother should have the opportunity to fight for the life of her 
        child; and
Whereas every child should have access to medicines to lead a long and healthy 
        life: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes that the prevention of mother-to-child 
        transmission of HIV is critical to stopping the spread of HIV 
        worldwide;
            (2) applauds the United States leadership on efforts to 
        eliminate new pediatric HIV infections by 2015 and to scale-up 
        pediatric treatment;
            (3) recognizes that the fight to eliminate pediatric HIV 
        worldwide has been a priority area for the United States in 
        their global AIDS response for more than 13 years and calls on 
        this leadership to continue beyond 2015;
            (4) supports providing women with HIV counseling and 
        testing services where possible, and scaling up access to 
        services and medicines that prevent mother-to-child 
        transmission of HIV;
            (5) supports dramatically scaling up pediatric treatment of 
        HIV to children including greater access to more efficacious 
        antiretroviral drug regimens, age appropriate services, and 
        support for their caregivers; and
            (6) recommits the United States to lead the world to the 
        end of AIDS, to eliminate new pediatric HIV infections 
        worldwide, and support mothers, children, and families infected 
        and affected by HIV.
                                 <all>
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