Bill Clinton: “Good morning. Senator Kassebaum, Senator Hatch, Senator Frist, Congressmen Waxman and Pelosi and…”

“Good morning. Senator Kassebaum, Senator Hatch, Senator Frist, Congressmen Waxman and Pelosi and Gunderson--Congresswoman Pelosi. [Laughter] And of course, the people who came in with me, our AIDS policy director, Patsy Fleming, and Jeanne White, who deserves a lot of credit for this day. I am pleased to be here to sign legislation to continue the Ryan White CARE Act for the next 5 years. I also want to thank Secretary Shalala, who is in Geneva, and Senator Kennedy, who couldn't be with us today but who has been a real leader on this issue. I want to thank all of you representing dozens of organizations in this room who are on the frontlines of this struggle and also those whom you represent all across America who could not be here in the room today but who have done their part as well. And let me once again say a special thanks to Jeanne White for standing here today. Your fine son became a hero to many of us. He was a brave young man who taught America the truth about AIDS. He helped people all over the world to understand that people with AIDS deserve not only the best medical care but also our compassion and our love. And we're eternally grateful for that. It's hard to believe, but AIDS has now been with us for nearly two decades. In that time, more than half a million Americans have been diagnosed; more than 300,000 of our fellow citizens have died. AIDS has taken too many friends and relatives and loved ones from every one of us in this room.…”