I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3396 

To address the dramatic increase of HIV/AIDS in minority communities. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 29, 2015 

Mr. RANGEL (for himself, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. CONYERS, 

Mr. CA ́RDENAS, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. CUMMINGS, 

Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. POCAN, and Ms. CLARKE of New York) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 

Commerce 

A BILL 

To address the dramatic increase of HIV/AIDS in minority 

communities. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

5 ‘‘Communities United with Religious leaders for the 

6 Elimination of HIV/AIDS Act of 2015’’ or the ‘‘CURE 

7 Act of 2015’’. 

8 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 

9 this Act is as follows: 


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Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 

Sec. 2. Findings. 

Sec. 3. Definitions. 

Sec. 4. Office of Minority Health grants for activities to reduce HIV/AIDS 

among those with the greatest rate of increasing rates of infection in the minority communities. 

Sec. 5. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grants for 

HIV testing and counseling services for high risk youth. 

Sec. 6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grants for public health 

testing, intervention, and prevention activities. 

Sec. 7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention activities for HIV/AIDS 

prevention and education. 

Sec. 8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention national media outreach 

campaign. 

Sec. 9. National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities grants for 

study on prevention based on behavioral factors. 

1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

2 Congress finds the following: 

3 (1) The latest estimates of the Centers for Dis4 ease Control and Prevention of the incidence of new 

5 HIV infections in the United States indicate that 

6 HIV remains a serious health problem. 

7 (2) It has been estimated that 1.2 million peo8 ple in the United States are living with HIV/AIDS. 

9 Approximately 50,000 people in the United States 

10 are newly infected and nearly one in eight of those 

11 are not aware that they are infected. 

12 (3) Racial and ethnic minorities accounted for 

13 almost 71 percent of the newly diagnosed cases of 

14 HIV infection in 2010. The national HIV rates (per 

15 100,000 persons) for minority groups as of 2010 

16 was 68.9 for Blacks, 27.5 for Hispanics, 19.3 for 

17 Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders, 9.7 for 


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1 American Indian/Alaska Natives, and 6.5 for Asian2 Americans. 

3 (4) Although Blacks are only 12 percent of the 

4 United States population, they account for half (44 

5 percent) of all new HIV infection cases in 2010. 

6 They are 8 times more likely to have HIV than 

7 Whites. 

8 (5) Black women accounted for 13 percent of 

9 all new HIV infections in the United States in 2010 

10 and nearly 64 percent of all new infections among 

11 women. Most Black women (87 percent) were in12 fected through heterosexual sex. In 2010, AIDS was 

13 the third leading cause of death in Black women 35 

14 to 44 years of age. This equates to the death rate 

15 from HIV of 22 times more likely than White 

16 women. 

17 (6) Black men represented almost one-third (31 

18 percent) of all new HIV infections in the United 

19 States in 2010 and account for 70 percent of new 

20 HIV infections among Blacks. AIDS is also the 

21 third leading cause of death for Black men 35 to 44 

22 years of age. 

23 (7) The rate of new HIV diagnoses among 

24 Black males 13 to 29 years of age who have sex with 


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1 males has increased 48 percent between 2006 and 

2 2009. 

3 (8) Second to Blacks, Hispanics compose the 

4 minority group most disproportionately affected by 

5 HIV. Accounting for 16 percent of the United States 

6 population, Hispanics account for 21 percent of all 

7 new HIV infections. 

8 (9) In 2010, Hispanic females are almost 5 

9 times as likely to have AIDS as White females. 

10 (10) Over two-thirds of Asian-Americans and 

11 over one-half of Pacific Islanders have never been 

12 tested for HIV. Asian-Americans, Native Hawaiian, 

13 and Pacific Islanders account for approximately one 

14 percent of HIV/AIDS cases nationally. Asian-Ameri15 cans have lower AIDS rates than their White coun16 terparts and they are less likely to die of HIV/AIDS. 

17 (11) HIV/AIDS is the ninth leading cause of 

18 death in Asian and Pacific Island men aged 25 to 

19 34. 

20 (12) Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Is21 landers are 2.6 times more likely to be diagnosed 

22 with HIV as compared to the White population. 

23 While Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders 

24 represent 0.4 percent of the total population in the 

25 United States, the AIDS case rate for Native HaVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:25 Aug 07, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3396.IH H3396

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1 waiians and other Pacific Islanders was twice that of 

2 the White population in 2010. 

3 (13) American Indians/Alaska Natives have a 

4 30 percent higher rate of HIV/AIDS infection as 

5 compared to the White population. In 2010, Amer6 ican Indian/Alaska Native females were three times 

7 more likely to be diagnosed with HIV infection, as 

8 compared to the White female population. 

9 (14) Runaway youth are 6 to 12 times more 

10 likely to become infected with HIV than other youth. 

11 (15) In August 2007, the National Medical As12 sociation, representing 30,000 African-American 

13 physicians, released a consensus report titled ‘‘Ad14 dressing the HIV/AIDS Crisis In The African Amer15 ican Community: Fact, Fiction and Policy’’ which 

16 specifically called on the next President of the 

17 United States to declare HIV/AIDS in African18 American communities a public health emergency. 

19 The National Medical Association has worked with 

20 the National Black Leadership Commission on 

21 AIDS (NBLCA) to organize clergy to advocate for 

22 the specific needs of Black physicians, their patients, 

23 and those at risk in African-American communities. 

24 Both organizations have pledged to advocate and 

25 work with clergy to develop, execute, and implement 


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1 these initiatives in African-American communities 

2 and culture. 

3 (16) In October 2007, 186 Black clergy, con4 sisting of Baptist, Church of God in Christ 

5 (COGIC), Methodist, Protestant, African Methodist 

6 Episcopal (AME), and Pentecostal faiths came to7 gether to participate in the National Black Clergy 

8 Conclave on HIV/AIDS Policy, hosted by Time War9 ner, Inc., with other foundation support. Included in 

10 this prestigious gathering were the Health Brain 

11 Trust of the Congressional Black Caucus, leaders 

12 from the National Conference of Black Mayors, and 

13 the National Caucus of Black State Legislators. 

14 This group developed a plan of action that has be15 come the Communities United with Religious leaders 

16 to Eliminate HIV/AIDS in minority communities to 

17 respond to the ‘‘on the ground’’ emergency in pre18 vention, care, and treatment for AIDS in Black 

19 America. 

20 (17) The National Black Clergy Conclave on 

21 HIV/AIDS declared the HIV/AIDS crisis in the Af22 rican-American community a ‘‘public health emer23 gency’’. The National Conclave also recognized that 

24 HIV/AIDS is growing in and affecting other minor25 ity groups disproportionately. Therefore, the ConVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:25 Aug 07, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3396.IH H3396

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1 clave is collaborating with the National Alliance for 

2 Hispanic Health, a 30-year-old organization aimed 

3 at Hispanic health; the Asian & Pacific Islander 

4 American Health Forum, a 27-year-old national or5 ganization focused on improving the health of Asian6 Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders; 

7 and the Asian-Pacific Islander Wellness Center and 

8 Esperanza, a Latino based national organization to 

9 end HIV/AIDS disparities within these racial and 

10 minority communities. 

11 (18) At their April 2008 annual meeting, the 

12 National Policy Alliance, consisting of the Joint 

13 Center For Political and Economic Studies (secre14 tariat), the National Black Caucus of School Board 

15 Members, National Black Caucus of Local Elected 

16 Officials, the Judicial Council of the National Bar 

17 Association, the National Association of Black Coun18 ty Officials, Blacks in Government, National Con19 ference of Black Mayors, and the World Council of 

20 Mayors voted unanimously to support, endorse, and 

21 encourage the passage of a bill that addresses the 

22 dramatic increase of HIV/AIDS in minority commu23 nities and to organize their respective members to 

24 endorse and support the passage of such a bill. 


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1 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

2 In this Act: 

3 (1) AIDS, HIV, AND HIV/AIDS.—The terms 

4 ‘‘AIDS’’, ‘‘HIV’’, and ‘‘HIV/AIDS’’ have the mean5 ings given such terms in section 2689 of the Public 

6 Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300ff–88). 

7 (2) ELIGIBLE HEALTH ENTITIES.—The term 

8 ‘‘eligible health entity’’ means any of the following 

9 entities that serve at least one minority group: 

10 (A) A public health agency. 

11 (B) A health center, including an entity 

12 operated by an Indian tribe or tribal or Indian 

13 organization under the Indian Self-Determina14 tion Act or an urban Indian organization under 

15 the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. 

16 (C) A community-based organization. 

17 (D) A faith-based organization. 

18 (3) MINORITY GROUP.—The term ‘‘minority 

19 group’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘racial and 

20 ethnic minority group’’ under section 1707(g) of the 

21 Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300u–6(g)) 

22 and includes such other groups as specified by the 

23 Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health. 

24 (4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

25 the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 


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1 SEC. 4. OFFICE OF MINORITY HEALTH GRANTS FOR ACTIVI2 TIES TO REDUCE HIV/AIDS AMONG THOSE 

3 WITH THE GREATEST RATE OF INCREASING 

4 RATES OF INFECTION IN THE MINORITY COM5 MUNITIES. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—For the purpose of reducing HIV/ 

7 AIDS among minority groups, the Secretary, acting 

8 through the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority 

9 Health, may make grants to eligible health entities to con10 duct any of the following activities, with respect to one 

11 or more minority groups, including youth in such groups: 

12 (1) HIV/AIDS education and outreach activi13 ties. 

14 (2) Activities focusing on the prevention of 

15 HIV/AIDS and access to treatment for HIV/AIDS. 

16 (3) HIV/AIDS testing activities. 

17 (b) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a grant 

18 under subsection (a), an entity shall submit to the Deputy 

19 Assistant Secretary an application at such time, in such 

20 manner, and containing such information as required by 

21 the Deputy Assistant Secretary. 

22 (c) PRIORITY.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—In making grants under sub24 section (a), the Secretary, acting though the Deputy 

25 Assistant Secretary for Minority Health, shall give 

26 priority to applications for proposed activities to 


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1 serve one or more minority groups with a rate of oc2 currence of HIV that is equal to at least the applica3 ble minimum rate specified by the Secretary under 

4 paragraph (2). 

5 (2) SPECIFICATION OF MINIMUM RATE OF OC6 CURRENCE OF HIV.—For purposes of paragraph (1), 

7 the Secretary, in consultation with relevant stake8 holders, shall specify a minimum rate of occurrence 

9 of HIV, which may be based on gender and geo10 graphic area. 

11 (d) FUNDING.— 

12 (1) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To 

13 carry out this section, there are authorized to be ap14 propriated $25,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 

15 2016 through 2019. Any funds made available to 

16 the Secretary pursuant to the previous sentence for 

17 a fiscal year shall remain available until expended 

18 but in no case after fiscal year 2019. 

19 (2) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—Of the amounts 

20 made available, pursuant to paragraph (1), to carry 

21 out this section for a year, not more than 10 percent 

22 of such amounts may be used for administrative 

23 costs. 


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1 SEC. 5. SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERV2 ICES ADMINISTRATION GRANTS FOR HIV 

3 TESTING AND COUNSELING SERVICES FOR 

4 HIGH RISK YOUTH. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through the 

6 Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health 

7 Services Administration, may make grants to eligible 

8 health entities to provide HIV testing and subsequent 

9 counseling and referral for medical treatment based on the 

10 results of such testing, to youth who are— 

11 (1) members of minority groups; 

12 (2) not more than 18 years of age; 

13 (3) HIV positive or at risk for HIV/AIDS, in14 cluding young men of racial minorities who have sex 

15 with men; and 

16 (4) engaged in substance abuse. 

17 Such youth may include those who have run away from 

18 home, are homeless, have had experience in the juvenile 

19 justice system, or reside in a detention center or foster 

20 care. 

21 (b) USES OF GRANTS.—An entity receiving a grant 

22 under this section may only use such grant to provide— 

23 (1) testing for HIV for the youth described in 

24 subsection (a); 

25 (2) counseling for such youth— 


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1 (A) on information on HIV that is based 

2 on medical science and annually updated; and 

3 (B) to help such youth to assess HIV-risk 

4 situations and alter behaviors to promote 

5 choices of lower risk; and 

6 (3) referral to health resources, mental health 

7 resources, and health organizations, which may in8 clude medical centers receiving funding under part A 

9 or part B of title XXVI of the Public Health Service 

10 Act. 

11 (c) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a grant 

12 under subsection (a), an entity shall submit to the Admin13 istrator an application at such time, in such manner, and 

14 containing such information as required by the Adminis15 trator. 

16 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 

17 out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated 

18 $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2016 through 

19 2019. Any funds made available to the Secretary pursuant 

20 to the previous sentence for a fiscal year shall remain 

21 available until expended but in no case after fiscal year 

22 2019. 


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1 SEC. 6. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVEN2 TION GRANTS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH TESTING, 

3 INTERVENTION, AND PREVENTION ACTIVI4 TIES. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—For the purpose of reducing the 

6 rate of occurrence of HIV/AIDS with respect to minority 

7 groups, the Secretary, acting through the Director of the 

8 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, may make 

9 grants to eligible health entities for public health interven10 tion and prevention activities described in subsection (b). 

11 (b) GRANT USES.—An entity receiving a grant under 

12 this section may use such grant to only conduct the fol13 lowing public health intervention and prevention activities 

14 with respect to one or more minority groups: 

15 (1) Rapid HIV testing. 

16 (2) Measures and activities to prevent the 

17 spread of HIV/AIDS and to minimize symptoms of 

18 HIV/AIDS. 

19 (3) Outreach activities targeting both females 

20 and males. 

21 (4) Referrals to health resources, mental health 

22 resources, and health organizations. 

23 (c) ELIGIBILITY.— 

24 (1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to receive a 

25 grant under subsection (a) an entity shall submit to 

26 the Director an application at such time, in such 


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1 manner, and containing such information as re2 quired by the Director, including the provision of the 

3 assurances described in paragraph (2). 

4 (2) ASSURANCES.—For purposes of paragraph 

5 (1), the assurances described in this paragraph, with 

6 respect to an entity seeking a grant under this sec7 tion, are each of the following assurances: 

8 (A) PARTNERSHIPS.—An assurance to the 

9 satisfaction of the Secretary that the entity will 

10 enter into partnerships with public or private 

11 health agencies in carrying out the activities 

12 funded by the grant. 

13 (B) ALLOCATION OF GRANT FOR ACTIVI14 TIES FOR FEMALES.—An assurance to the sat15 isfaction of the Secretary that the entity will 

16 use at least 60 percent of the amounts received 

17 under the grant on activities described in sub18 section (b) that are for females in minority 

19 groups. 

20 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 

21 out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated 

22 $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2016 through 

23 2019. Any funds made available to the Secretary pursuant 

24 to the previous sentence for a fiscal year shall remain 


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1 available until expended but in no case after fiscal year 

2 2019. 

3 SEC. 7. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVEN4 TION ACTIVITIES FOR HIV/AIDS PREVENTION 

5 AND EDUCATION. 

6 (a) PREVENTION ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary, acting 

7 through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control 

8 and Prevention, shall expand and intensify HIV/AIDS 

9 prevention and education activities for minority groups. 

10 Such activities shall— 

11 (1) be targeted to minority groups with a rate 

12 of occurrence of HIV that is at least equal to the 

13 minimum rate of occurrence specified by the Sec14 retary under section 4(c)(2); 

15 (2) be comprehensive and updated annually 

16 based on science and research; and 

17 (3) include the dissemination of medically based 

18 information on the importance of open conversation 

19 on HIV in the community involved, the importance 

20 of adherence to medical treatment and medication, 

21 reduction of the stigma of HIV, the importance of 

22 HIV testing, risk situation assessment, methods of 

23 HIV transmission prevention, and the risk of mater24 nal-fetal and maternal breast milk transmission. 


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1 (b) EDUCATION.—The Secretary, acting through the 

2 Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Preven3 tion, shall expand and intensify culturally appropriate and 

4 linguistically accessible HIV/AIDS educational activities 

5 for minority groups, including for members of such groups 

6 who are intravenous drug users, Hispanic and Black 

7 women, youth, and men who have sex with men. 

8 (c) COORDINATION.—The Secretary shall carry out 

9 this section in coordination with, as appropriate, public 

10 schools of all levels, organizations that are advocates for 

11 advancing minority health, and eligible health entities. 

12 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 

13 out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated 

14 $9,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2016 through 

15 2019. Any funds made available to the Secretary pursuant 

16 to the previous sentence for a fiscal year shall remain 

17 available until expended but in no case after fiscal year 

18 2019. 

19 SEC. 8. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVEN20 TION NATIONAL MEDIA OUTREACH CAM21 PAIGN. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through the 

23 Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Preven24 tion, shall implement a national media outreach campaign 

25 that urges sexually active individuals who are members of 


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1 minority groups to be tested for and know their HIV/ 

2 AIDS status. 

3 (b) REQUIREMENTS.—The national media outreach 

4 campaign under this section— 

5 (1) shall— 

6 (A) be science-driven and targeted to mi7 nority men, women, and youth; and 

8 (B) give special emphasis to Black and 

9 Hispanic women and minority males who have 

10 sex with males, including those who are not 

11 more than 18 years of age; and 

12 (2) may target high schools and universities 

13 with 40-percent or greater minority enrollment. 

14 (c) LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS.—In implementing the 

15 campaign under subsection (a), the Secretary may enter 

16 into agreements with local organizations (as defined by the 

17 Secretary) that focus on serving a single metropolitan 

18 community. 

19 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 

20 out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated 

21 $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2016 through 

22 2019. Any funds made available to the Secretary pursuant 

23 to the previous sentence for a fiscal year shall remain 

24 available until expended but in no case after fiscal year 

25 2019. 


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1 SEC. 9. NATIONAL CENTER ON MINORITY HEALTH AND 

2 HEALTH DISPARITIES GRANTS FOR STUDY 

3 ON PREVENTION BASED ON BEHAVIORAL 

4 FACTORS. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through the 

6 Director of the National Center on Minority Health and 

7 Health Disparities, may make grants to eligible entities 

8 to study behavioral factors that lead to increased HIV/ 

9 AIDS prevalence in minority groups. 

10 (b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—For purposes of this sec11 tion, an eligible entity is a public or private organization 

12 with one or more published studies on behaviors. 

13 (c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 

14 out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated 

15 $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2016 through 

16 2019. Any funds made available to the Secretary pursuant 

17 to the previous sentence for a fiscal year shall remain 

18 available until expended but in no case after fiscal year 

19 2019. 

Æ 


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