Frank Riggs: “Mr. Chairman, let me point out, first of all, in response to the previous speaker's comments, that, of course, we are…”

“Mr. Chairman, let me point out, first of all, in response to the previous speaker's comments, that, of course, we are talking about an appropriations bill here that does not in any way affect the Tax Code or tax policy and certainly does not grant any kind of tax breaks to American citizens or businesses. I would like to direct the attention of our Democratic colleagues to one section of the bill. This particular appropriation bill, despite the very real budgetary constraints that we have been discussing here on the House floor this morning, provides level funding for three of the titles of the Ryan White AIDS Care Act, and an additional $23 million increase over 1995 for title I of the Ryan White Care Act, which provides assistance to American citizens. This increased funding for title I, which I fought for in both the subcommittee and full committee markup of the bill, is to address the funding pressures resulting from additional cities becoming eligible to join the program in 1996. This is the so-called hold-harmless funding that is intended to address the growing AIDS epidemic in our major metropolitan centers in America.”