Anna Eshoo: “I strongly support S. 2311, the Ryan White Care Act Amendments of 2000. Enactment of this legislation will truly make a…”

“I strongly support S. 2311, the Ryan White Care Act Amendments of 2000. Enactment of this legislation will truly make a difference in people's lives. The Ryan White CARE Act, without question, was the most important legislation Congress has ever enacted for people living with HIV and AIDS. Every year, CARE Act funds provide lifesaving medical and social services for tens of thousands of uninsured and underinsured Americans battling these devastating diseases. AIDS medications, viral load testing, treatment education, and case management are just a few of the essential support services provided by federal CARE Act dollars. Each of the programs created under the CARE Act services a specific need yet, combined, they make up the health care and social service safety net of last resort. Since it's creation in 1990, reliability and stability have been the two cornerstones of the Ryan White law. When we passed the House version of the reauthorization in July, I spoke out against a provision that ran directly contrary to this safety net principle. A 25 percent reduction in the 'hold harmless' that was part of the original House bill would have caused a rapid destabilization of systems of care in the Bay Area and potentially around the country. I fought that provision and I'm so pleased that the bill before us today includes a more equitable formula that reflects the changing face of the disease without gutting funding to any one Eligible Metropolitan Area (EMA).”