Political Quotes

“I am in support of the World Bank AIDS Marshall Plan Trust Fund Act, H.R. 3519. I have seen first hand the devastation that AIDS has had on Africa, and I firmly believe that the United States and the rest of the developed world must act now to end the suffering and hardship caused by this terrible disease. I cannot overstate my strong belief that H.R. 3519 is desperately needed legislation, and I am proud to be a cosponsor. Quite simply, passing this bill is the right thing to do. When I recently visited Zimbabwe, Nigeria, and South Africa, I was overwhelmed by the impact that AIDS was having, not only on those inflicted with the disease, but also on the thousands of orphans that the disease creates. In some countries, one-fifth to one-third of the children have already been orphaned by the disease. The AIDS epidemic presents us with an unprecedented humanitarian challenge. The numbers for Africa are numbing--more than 23 million adults and children currently infected with the virus and, to date, almost 14 million AIDS-related deaths. Infection rates in some countries are in the 20 to 26 percent range. In light of these statistics, the U.S. Surgeon General warns that AIDS will soon surpass the bubonic plague as the worst epidemic of infectious disease in recorded history. Of the 33.6 million AIDS cases worldwide, 70 percent are in Africa.”