Barbara Lee: “I rise this evening to commemorate World AIDS Day. This year's theme is Collective Action: Sustain and Accelerate HIV…”

“I rise this evening to commemorate World AIDS Day. This year's theme is Collective Action: Sustain and Accelerate HIV Progress. Indeed, our collective action has delivered immense success to overcome the AIDS epidemic. While our Federal Government was initially slow to act, Federal investment has made a crucial contribution to the fight against HIV and AIDS. America's PEPFAR investments have saved more than 25 million lives. Nine out of ten Americans receiving care through the Ryan White and the minority AIDS programs are virally suppressed, improving their health and preventing transmission. Housing Opportunities for People With AIDS, or HOPWA, has ensured housing stability for tens of thousands of people living with HIV. Now, this progress was not accidental. It required deliberate, substantial Federal investment. We had to be intentional. Federal investment in fighting HIV and AIDS remains absolutely necessary. Pulling back now on our investments risks seeing HIV come roaring back. We cannot afford to go back to where we were nearly four decades ago. Mr. Speaker, I implore my colleagues to work together to support continued, robust Federal investments to end the HIV and AIDS epidemic by 2030 for everyone everywhere. ____________________”