Title: A resolution recognizing the importance of a continued commitment to ending pediatric AIDS worldwide.
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Recognizes that prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV is critical to stopping the spread of HIV worldwide, and that the fight to eliminate pediatric HIV worldwide has been a priority for more than 13 years.
Supports providing women with HIV counseling and testing services and expanding pediatric treatment of HIV.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 310 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 310

    Recognizing the importance of a continued commitment to ending 
                       pediatric AIDS worldwide.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 26, 2017

  Mr. Casey (for himself, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Durbin, Mr. 
  Boozman, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Franken, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Hatch, Mr. 
Markey, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Nelson, Mr. King, and Mr. Coons) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                               Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Recognizing the importance of a continued commitment to ending 
                       pediatric AIDS worldwide.

Whereas in 2016 approximately half of the 36,700,000 people living with human 
        immunodeficiency virus (referred to in this preamble as ``HIV'') 
        worldwide are women and 2,100,000 are children;
Whereas HIV is a leading cause of death worldwide among women of childbearing 
        age;
Whereas nearly 90 percent of HIV-positive expectant mothers in need of HIV-
        related services worldwide live in sub-Saharan Africa;
Whereas women around the world rely on essential pre- and post-natal care to 
        provide screening for diseases such as HIV, and to provide care for the 
        health of women and infants;
Whereas the usage of antiretroviral drugs as prophylaxis can reduce the 
        likelihood of mother-to-child transmission of HIV to less than 5 
        percent;
Whereas in 2005 only 14 percent of women received services for the prevention of 
        mother-to-child transmission (referred to in this preamble as 
        ``PMTCT'');
Whereas in 2016, 76 percent of women received PMTCT services;
Whereas, since 2001, the number of children born HIV-positive has decreased by 
        more than half;
Whereas, despite increased efforts by the United States and countries around the 
        world, over 400 children were born HIV-positive each day in 2016;
Whereas 90 percent of children with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa;
Whereas in 2016 only 43 percent of children with HIV received antiretroviral 
        therapy, far below the percentage of adults receiving antiretroviral 
        therapy;
Whereas, without treatment, half of children with HIV will die by their second 
        birthday, and 80 percent by their fifth birthday;
Whereas, in 2016, 120,000 children died of causes related to acquired immune 
        deficiency syndrome (referred to in this preamble as ``AIDS'');
Whereas, in 2016, 22 percent of new HIV infections occurred in young women aged 
        15 to 24;
Whereas, in sub-Saharan Africa, young women account for 75 percent of new annual 
        HIV infections among adolescents;
Whereas AIDS is a leading cause of death among adolescents globally;
Whereas research efforts at the National Institutes of Health have led to 
        extraordinary breakthroughs for children infected with and at risk for 
        HIV;
Whereas in 2002 the United States began investing in PMTCT services by 
        establishing the United States International Mother and Child HIV 
        Prevention Initiative;
Whereas, since 2002, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has 
        supported programs that provided 4,200,000 HIV-positive mothers with 
        antiretroviral drug prophylaxis for PMTCT;
Whereas in fiscal year 2016, the United States President's Emergency Plan for 
        AIDS Relief (referred to in this preamble as ``PEPFAR'') supported HIV 
        testing and counseling for more than 11,500,000 pregnant women, and 
        provided antiretroviral drug prophylaxis for PMTCT, allowing nearly 
        2,000,000 babies to be born free of HIV;
Whereas in 2014 PEPFAR announced the Accelerating Children's Treatment 
        Initiative, a 2-year effort that would double the number of HIV-positive 
        children receiving treatment in 10 high-burden countries;
Whereas the PEPFAR DREAMS initiative is working to reduce new HIV infections in 
        girls and young women in 10 sub-Saharan countries;
Whereas every mother should have the opportunity to fight for the life of her 
        child; and
Whereas every child and adolescent should have access to medicine to lead a long 
        and healthy life: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes that the prevention of mother-to-child 
        transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (referred to in 
        this resolving clause as ``HIV'') is critical to stopping the 
        spread of HIV worldwide;
            (2) applauds the leadership of the United States for 
        efforts to eliminate new pediatric HIV infections and to expand 
        pediatric treatment through programs and research;
            (3) recognizes that for more than 13 years, the fight to 
        eliminate pediatric HIV worldwide has been a priority in the 
        response of the United States to global acquired immune 
        deficiency syndrome (referred to in this resolving clause as 
        ``AIDS''), and calls on the leadership of the United States in 
        this area to continue;
            (4) supports providing adolescents with the evidence-based 
        approaches necessary to prevent new HIV infections;
            (5) supports providing women and children with HIV 
        counseling and testing services where practicable, and scaling 
        up access to services and medicines that prevent mother-to-
        child transmission of HIV and ensure HIV-positive mothers 
        survive and thrive;
            (6) supports expanding treatment for HIV for children and 
        adolescents, including providing greater access to more 
        efficacious antiretroviral drug regimens, age appropriate 
        services, and support for the caregivers of children and 
        adolescents; and
            (7) recommits the United States--
                    (A) to lead the world to end AIDS;
                    (B) to eliminate new pediatric HIV infections 
                worldwide; and
                    (C) to support women, children, adolescents, and 
                families infected and affected by HIV.
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