Title: Supporting the goals and ideals of National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day, and for other purposes.
Policy area: Health

Summary:
This resolution expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 504 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 504

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing 
               and Awareness Day, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 18, 2019

Ms. Waters (for herself, Ms. Lee of California, Ms. Norton, Mr. Deutch, 
 Mr. Rush, Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York, Mr. Payne, Mr. Cox of 
California, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Hastings, Mr. Cohen, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, 
Ms. Velazquez, Mr. Carson of Indiana, Mr. Cisneros, Mr. Danny K. Davis 
of Illinois, Mr. Meeks, Mrs. Axne, Ms. Johnson of Texas, Mr. Johnson of 
Georgia, Ms. Titus, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, and Mr. Smith 
 of Washington) 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 more than 1,800,000 people in the United States have been infected by 
        HIV/AIDS since the first cases were reported 38 years ago;
Whereas there are more than 1,100,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in the United 
        States today;
Whereas, every year in the United States, there are more than 38,500 new HIV 
        infections;
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 African Americans account for 43 percent of new HIV diagnoses, although 
        only 12 percent of the population as a whole is Black;
Whereas Hispanic Americans account for 26 percent of new HIV diagnoses, although 
        only 18 percent of the population as a whole is Hispanic;
Whereas Asian Americans account for 2 percent of new HIV diagnoses, and American 
        Indians/Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders, and 
        individuals of multiple races together account for an additional 3 
        percent;
Whereas African-American women account for 59 percent of new HIV diagnoses among 
        women;
Whereas people of color account for 74 percent of new HIV diagnoses;
Whereas about 15 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, 2019, to be 
        the twelfth annual National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness 
        Day in an effort to encourage clinicians nationwide to become actively 
        involved 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 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
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of the National 
        Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day;
            (2) encourages primary care physicians and other clinicians 
        nationwide to become actively involved in HIV/AIDS awareness, 
        testing, treatment, and referral services;
            (3) encourages the media to observe the National Clinicians 
        HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day by educating clinicians 
        about the important role they play in providing access to HIV/
        AIDS awareness, testing, treatment, and referral services and 
        by educating clinicians and the public about the benefits of 
        HIV testing; and
            (4) encourages individuals to get tested for HIV and 
        educate themselves about the prevention and treatment of HIV/
        AIDS.
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