IA
103D CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. J. RES. 334
Designating May 29 through June 4, 1994, as ‘‘Pediatric and Adolescent
AIDS Awareness Week’’ in the United States.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 10, 1994
Mr. SERRANO introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to
the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service
JOINT RESOLUTION
Designating May 29 through June 4, 1994, as ‘‘Pediatric
and Adolescent AIDS Awareness Week’’ in the United
States.
Whereas more than 339,250 individuals in the United States
have been diagnosed with acquired immune deficiency
syndrome (commonly known as AIDS) and 204,390 have
died from the disease;
Whereas the Public Health Service has estimated that there
are currently between 1,000,000 and 1,500,000 persons
in the United States infected with AIDS;
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has
reported 4,906 cases of pediatric AIDS and 1,412 cases
of adolescent AIDS as of October 1993;
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Whereas 1 in 5 of all reported AIDS cases is diagnosed in
the 20–29 year old age group, and the median incubation
period between human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) in-
fection and AIDS diagnosis is nearly 10 years, most of
those people in their 20’s who are diagnosed with AIDS
were adolescents when they became infected;
Whereas AIDS was the eighth leading cause of death among
children aged 1–4 in 1990 and if the incidence of AIDS
continues to increase, within the next 10 years AIDS
may become the fifth leading cause of death among chil-
dren of all ages in the United States;
Whereas by the end of 1995, maternal deaths caused by the
HIV/AIDS epidemic will have orphaned an estimated
24,600 children (under age 13) and 21,000 adolescents
(aged 13–17) in the United States and unless the course
of the epidemic changes dramatically, by the year 2000
the overall number of motherless children and adolescents
will exceed 80,000;
Whereas in 1992 reported AID cases among women contin-
ued to grow at a faster rate than among men, and for
the first time, more than half the number of women’s
cases were the result of heterosexual transmission, not in-
travenous drug use;
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention esti-
mates that approximately 110,000 women in the United
States are infected with HIV and an estimated 6,000 are
expected to give birth to children each year, and approxi-
mately 1,500 to 2,000 of these children will be infected
with HIV;
Whereas more than 88 percent of children with AIDS have
a parent with, or at risk for, HIV infection;
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Whereas 24 percent of reported pediatric AIDS cases in the
United States have occurred in New York City, and the
South Bronx has the highest HIV seroprevalence rate
among newborns in the United States;
Whereas Philadelphia ranks among American cities most im-
pacted by reported AIDS cases among children age 0–13,
and these children belong to an estimated 1,400 HIV af-
fected families;
Whereas ethnic minorities are disproportionately affected by
AIDS, with 74 percent of women with AIDS and 79 per-
cent of children with AIDS being African-American or
Hispanic;
Whereas there have been 1,183 cases of pediatric AIDS re-
ported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
in New York City; 260 cases in Miami, Florida; 184
cases in Newark, New Jersey; 168 cases in San Juan,
Puerto Rico; 146 cases in Los Angeles, California; 138
cases in Washington, DC; 107 cases in West Palm
Beach, Florida; 117 cases in Boston, Massachusetts; 125
cases in Chicago, Illinois; 113 cases in Baltimore, Mary-
land, 87 cases in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and 87
cases in Houston, Texas;
Whereas it is important that the people of the United States
diligently seek preventative measures and better solutions
to care for women and youth, including helping them
gain access to HIV and other sexually transmitted dis-
ease clinical therapies;
Whereas early intervention and educational resources must be
made available to all citizens, especially youth and other
high-risk groups, to make them more aware of AIDS and
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the risks associated with engaging in unprotected sexual
activity or substance abuse;
Whereas the Health Care Financing Administration and the
Public Health Service should work with appropriate State
officials to help design optimal care packages needed for
children, youth, and families with AIDS or HIV infection
especially as health care reform is undertaken; and
Whereas States and localities should recognize relatives, ex-
tended family members, and other nonbiological relatives
as an appropriate source of foster care for children with
AIDS whose parents can no longer care for them, subject
to the same review and afforded the same benefits as
other foster parents: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That May 29 through June 4, 1994, is designated as ‘‘Pe-
diatric and Adolescent AIDS Awareness Week’’, and the
President is authorized and requested to issue a proclama-
tion calling upon the people of the United States to ob-
serve the week with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
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