Barbara Lee Statement on National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
Contact Kristal DeKleer (202) 225-1882
Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following statement in observance of National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day:
"September 27th, 2011 marks the 4th Annual National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Over the past 30 years, HIV/AIDS has had astronomical impact on this population, nationally and worldwide. Additionally, in the United States, gay and bisexual men, who represent 2 to 4% of the population, comprise 60% of all new infections and for young men of color this statistic is even more daunting. HIV infection rates are far worse for young African American men who have sex with men (MSM): the number tragically doubled between 2006 and 2009. Globally, HIV prevalence rates among MSM have reached alarming levels around the world, skyrocketing past 20% in countries like Jamaica, Mexico, Thailand and Zambia.
"Though we have made tremendous strides in the fight against HIV/AIDS, there is still critical work to be done to prevent, treat, and bring awareness while working to reduce stigma and fight homophobia in our communities and around the world. Despite a clear need for services, HIV prevention remains out of reach for the vast majority of MSM worldwide. We must prioritize awareness, treatment, prevention, and education if we want to see a decrease in the rise of new HIV cases among our most vulnerable populations and to, once and for all, stamp this disease from the face of the earth."
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Congresswoman Lee has been a leader in the fight against the global HIV/AIDS pandemic. She co-authored legislation signed into law creating the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria in 2000, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in 2003, the PEPFAR Reauthorization Act in 2008, and in 2005 legislation addressing the needs of orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS. She has also been a leader in the effort to establish a National AIDS Strategy, and is a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, Human Services & Education with jurisdiction over all domestic HIV/AIDS funding. She is the only United States representative on United Nations Development Programme’s Global Commission on HIV and the Law and was the original sponsor of legislation that lead to the repeal of the Immigration and Travel ban that barred the entry of HIV positive individuals. The repeal allowed the International AIDS conference - scheduled for July 2012 in Washington DC - to be held in the U.S. after 20 years.
Follow Barbara Lee on Twitter @RepBarbaraLee