III 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 532 

Expressing support for the XIX International AIDS Conference and the 

sense of the Senate that continued commitment by the United States 

to HIV/AIDS research, prevention, and treatment programs is crucial 

to protecting global health. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 26, 2012 

Mr. NELSON of Florida (for himself, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. LEAHY, 

Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. ENZI, Mr. 

CARDIN, Ms. MIKULSKI, Ms. LANDRIEU, and Mr. KOHL) submitted the 

following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the XIX International AIDS Conference and the sense of the Senate that continued commitment by the United States to HIV/AIDS research, 

prevention, and treatment programs is crucial to protecting global health. 

Whereas, according to UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations 

Programme on HIV/AIDS, there are approximately 

33,400,000 people living with HIV worldwide, and nearly 

30,000,000 people have died of AIDS since the first 

cases were reported in 1981; 


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•SRES 532 ATS 

Whereas, in the United States, more than 1,000,000 people 

are living with HIV and approximately 50,000 people become newly infected with the virus each year; 

Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention, 1 in 5 individuals living with HIV is unaware 

of the infection, underscoring the need for greater education about HIV/AIDS and access to testing; 

Whereas societal stigma remains a significant challenge to 

addressing HIV/AIDS; 

Whereas the United States is heavily engaged in both international and domestic efforts to address the HIV/AIDS 

pandemic, including— 

(1) the United States President’s Emergency Plan 

for AIDS Relief (commonly known as ‘‘PEPFAR’’); 

(2) the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, 

and Malaria; 

(3) title XXIV of the Public Health Service Act (42 

U.S.C. 300dd et seq.) (originally enacted as part of the 

Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency 

Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-381; 104 Stat. 576)); 

(4) State AIDS Drug Assistance Programs; 

(5) the Housing Opportunities for Persons with 

AIDS program of the Department of Housing and Urban 

Development; and 

(6) AIDS research at the National Institutes of 

Health and other agencies; 

Whereas, since 1985, the now biennial International AIDS 

Conference has brought together leading scientists, public 

health experts, policymakers, community leaders, and individuals living with HIV/AIDS from around the world to 

enhance the global response to HIV/AIDS, evaluate recent scientific developments, share knowledge, and faciliVerDate Mar 15 2010 01:03 Jul 27, 2012 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR532.ATS SR532

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•SRES 532 ATS 

tate a collective strategy to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic; 

Whereas, in 2008, Congress passed and the President signed 

into law the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United 

States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008 (Public 

Law 110-293; 122 Stat. 2918); 

Whereas taxpayers in the United States have paid more than 

$45,000,000,000 through PEPFAR and the Global Fund 

to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, which have 

enjoyed broad bipartisan support in Congress; 

Whereas, 25 years after the III International AIDS Conference was held in Washington, D.C., the XIX International AIDS Conference (referred to in this preamble 

as ‘‘AIDS 2012’’) will take place from July 22, 2012, 

through July 27, 2012, at the Walter E. Washington 

Convention Center, in Washington, D.C.; 

Whereas AIDS 2012, organized by the International AIDS 

Society, is expected to convene more than 20,000 delegates, including 2,000 journalists, from nearly 200 countries; 

Whereas the theme of AIDS 2012, ‘‘Turning the Tide Together’’, embodies the promise and urgency of utilizing 

recent scientific advances in HIV/AIDS treatment and 

biomedical prevention, continuing research for an HIV 

vaccine and cure, and increasing effective, evidence-based 

interventions in key settings to change the course of the 

HIV/AIDS crisis; 

Whereas AIDS 2012 seeks to engage governments, nongovernmental organizations, policymakers, the scientific 

community, the private sector, civil society, faith-based 


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•SRES 532 ATS 

organizations, the media, and people living with HIV/ 

AIDS to more effectively address regional, national, and 

local responses to HIV/AIDS around the world and overcome barriers that limit access to preventative care, 

treatment, and other services; and 

Whereas AIDS 2012 is a tremendous opportunity to 

strengthen the role of the United States in global HIV/ 

AIDS initiatives within the context of significant global 

economic challenges, reenergize the response to the domestic epidemic, and focus particular attention on the 

devastating impact of HIV/AIDS that continues in the 

United States: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) supports the XIX International AIDS Con3 ference and the goal of renewing awareness of, and 

4 commitment to, addressing the HIV/AIDS crisis in 

5 the United States and abroad; 

6 (2) recognizes that continued HIV/AIDS re7 search, prevention, and treatment programs are cru8 cial to improving global health; 

9 (3) understands that the key to overcoming 

10 HIV/AIDS includes efforts to formulate sound pub11 lic health policy, protect human rights, address the 

12 needs of women and girls, direct effective program13 ming toward the populations at the highest risk of 

14 infection, ensure accountability, and combat stigma, 

15 poverty, and other social challenges related to HIV/ 

16 AIDS; 


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1 (4) seeks to work with all stakeholders— 

2 (A) to prevent the transmission of HIV; 

3 (B) to increase access to testing, treat4 ment, and care; 

5 (C) to improve health outcomes for all peo6 ple living with HIV/AIDS; and 

7 (D) to foster greater scientific and pro8 grammatic collaborations around the world to 

9 translate scientific advances and apply best 

10 practices to international efforts to end HIV/ 

11 AIDS; 

12 (5) commits to supporting a stronger global re13 sponse to HIV/AIDS, protecting the rights of people 

14 living with HIV/AIDS, and working to create an 

15 ‘‘AIDS-free generation’’; and 

16 (6) encourages the ongoing development in the 

17 public and private sectors of innovative therapies 

18 and advances in clinical treatment for HIV/AIDS, 

19 including— 

20 (A) new and improved biomedical and be21 havioral prevention strategies; 

22 (B) safer and more affordable, accessible, 

23 and effective treatment regimens for infected 

24 individuals; and 


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1 (C) research for an HIV vaccine and cure. 

Æ 


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