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[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 108 (Wednesday, July 18, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H4918-H4919]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                     INTERNATIONAL AIDS CONFERENCE

  (Ms. PELOSI asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. PELOSI. I want to join my colleague, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, 
in acknowledging that this weekend we will begin the International AIDS 
Conference, which will come to America with a fitting theme: ``Turning 
the Tide Together.''
  It has a long history. In 1990, expert scientists and political 
officials from across the globe gathered in San Francisco, in my 
district, for the International AIDS Conference to turn our promise of 
leadership into progress. Since that time, however, the conference has 
never returned to an American venue for two decades. The organizers 
point to our longtime shameful travel ban on those with HIV/AIDS.
  Next week, when the conference assembles right here in our Nation's 
Capital, the world will see how far we've come. Together, we will 
commit to turning the tide, as the theme indicates, toward the next 
stage in our fight: fewer infections and a cure and an end to HIV/AIDS.
  Consider what this Congress has done: funding the Ryan White CARE 
Act, creating housing opportunities for people with HIV, and expanding 
access to Medicaid for people with HIV, but not full-blown AIDS. That's 
an early intervention. Also, increased investments in research, care, 
treatment, and intervention by more than half a billion dollars.
  And in response to the global challenge and the leadership of 
Congresswoman Barbara Lee, we have supported global solutions by 
increasing funds for bilateral AIDS efforts during the Clinton 
administration; making the first American contribution to the Global 
Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria in 2000; and working with 
Presidents Bush and Obama to establish PEPFAR. I know that it is a 
great source of pride to President George W. Bush for the leadership he 
provided, the support he gave, and the pride I think he takes in 
PEPFAR--and we salute him for that.
  President Obama has continued that work, more than doubling the 
support for global health initiatives and doubling our investment in 
the Global Fund. These commitments and more have helped families in the 
United States and the villages of Africa and communities worldwide.
  These actions have saved lives, but there's much more to do. With the 
International AIDS Conference coming to Washington, DC, we have an 
opportunity to recommit ourselves to the cause of a world without HIV/
AIDS. That is the challenge. That is the goal. We can turn the tide 
together.
  After 25 years in Congress, little surprises me anymore; but one 
thing that does is that after all this time we still do not have a 
cure. But we're hopeful. And when the AIDS conference opens its doors 
next week, we must stand united in our pledge to discover a cure and 
raise an AIDS-free generation. Science is making progress. We have a 
moral obligation to support that. It has been done in a bipartisan way 
under President Bush's leadership, under President Clinton, and under 
President Obama. Hopefully, we can continue to do that.
  We can and we must work together to make HIV/AIDS a very, very sad 
memory and certainly not part of our future. I thank you, Congresswoman 
Lee, for your tremendous leadership locally and globally and in every 
way, and certainly in this Congress of the United States.

[[Page H4919]]

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