IV 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 309 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing 

and Awareness Day, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 19, 2013 

Ms. WATERS (for herself, Ms. LEE of California, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Ms. 

BORDALLO, Mr. ELLISON, Ms. NORTON, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. CONYERS, 

Mr. ENYART, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. RUSH, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Ms. 

CLARKE, Mr. MEEKS, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. CLAY, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. POLIS, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. LEWIS, Ms. HAHN, 

Mr. LEVIN, Ms. BROWN of Florida, Mr. WATT, Mr. SMITH of Washington, and Ms. SEWELL of Alabama) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Clinicians HIV/ 

AIDS Testing and Awareness Day, and for other purposes. 

Whereas HIV/AIDS is a devastating epidemic that continues 

to spread in communities throughout the United States; 

Whereas approximately 1,800,000 people in the United 

States have been infected by HIV/AIDS since the first 

cases were reported 32 years ago; 

Whereas there are approximately 1,100,000 people living with 

HIV/AIDS in the United States today; 


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Whereas there are approximately 50,000 new HIV infections 

and approximately 18,000 new AIDS-related deaths every 

year in the United States; 

Whereas every 91⁄2 minutes another person in the United 

States becomes infected with HIV; 

Whereas President Barack Obama released the National 

HIV/AIDS Strategy on July 13, 2010, in order to 

refocus attention on the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic; 

Whereas the National HIV/AIDS Strategy focuses on three 

major goals, including reducing the number of new HIV 

infections, increasing access to care and improving health 

outcomes for people living with HIV and AIDS, and reducing HIV-related health disparities; 

Whereas HIV/AIDS is spreading rapidly among women, 

young people, and racial minorities, all of which are demographic groups that were not considered to be at significant risk of HIV infection during the early years of 

the epidemic; 

Whereas women account for 20 percent of new HIV infections in the United States; 

Whereas African-Americans account for 44 percent of new 

HIV infections, although only 12 percent of the population as a whole is Black; 

Whereas Hispanic-Americans account for 21 percent of new 

HIV infections, although only 16 percent of the population as a whole is Hispanic; 

Whereas Asian-Americans account for 2 percent of new HIV 

infections, and Native Americans and Alaskan Natives 

account for 1 percent of new HIV infections; 


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Whereas African-American women account for 64 percent of 

new HIV infections among women; 

Whereas people of color account for 68 percent of new HIV 

infections; 

Whereas about 18 percent of the people living with HIV/ 

AIDS in the United States do not know they are infected; 

Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 

guidelines for HIV screening in health care settings recommend routine HIV testing for all patients between the 

ages of 13 and 64, regardless of risk factors; 

Whereas individuals are more likely to act responsibly and 

protect themselves and other persons in the community 

when they know their HIV status; 

Whereas encouraging people to be tested for HIV is a critical 

element in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment efforts; 

Whereas individuals who are HIV-positive must learn their 

status in order to obtain counseling on managing their 

health, access appropriate medical and social services, 

begin life-prolonging treatment, and take actions to avoid 

spreading the virus to others; 

Whereas physicians, physician assistants, nurses, dentists, 

and other clinicians play a vital role in providing access 

to HIV/AIDS awareness, testing, treatment, and referral 

services, and in encouraging patients to get tested for 

HIV; 

Whereas Howard University College of Medicine has declared 

July 21, 2013, to be the sixth annual National Clinicians 

HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day in an effort to 

encourage clinicians nationwide to become actively inVerDate Mar 15 2010 22:57 Jul 19, 2013 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR309.IH HR309

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volved in HIV/AIDS awareness, testing, treatment, and 

referral services; 

Whereas a diverse group of organizations representing communities affected by HIV/AIDS have partnered with 

Howard University College of Medicine to promote the 

goals and ideals of National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day; 

Whereas the sixth annual National Clinicians HIV/AIDS 

Testing and Awareness Day will give all physicians, physician assistants, nurses, dentists, and other clinicians an 

opportunity to get personally involved in the fight against 

HIV/AIDS by taking an HIV test, personally demonstrating the importance as well as the ease of HIV 

testing; 

Whereas the National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and 

Awareness Day will be a call to action to clinicians nationwide to lead the way in dispelling the myths and stigma associated with HIV testing and become vocal advocates for patients and communities; and 

Whereas the National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and 

Awareness Day will encourage clinicians to become actively involved in HIV/AIDS awareness, testing, treatment, and referral services: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the goals and ideals of the sixth 

3 annual National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and 

4 Awareness Day; 

5 (2) encourages primary care physicians and 

6 other clinicians nationwide to become actively inVerDate Mar 15 2010 22:57 Jul 19, 2013 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR309.IH HR309

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1 volved in HIV/AIDS awareness, testing, treatment, 

2 and referral services; 

3 (3) encourages the media to observe the sixth 

4 annual National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and 

5 Awareness Day by educating clinicians about the im6 portant role they play in providing access to HIV/ 

7 AIDS awareness, testing, treatment, and referral 

8 services and by educating clinicians and the public 

9 about the benefits of HIV testing; and 

10 (4) encourages individuals to get tested for HIV 

11 and educate themselves about the prevention and 

12 treatment of HIV/AIDS. 

Æ 


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