Political Quotes

“even as our Nation faces new public health challenges, it is crucial that we not lose sight of a devastating disease that has remained a challenge for decades the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Over the past two decades, the Nation has witnessed tremendous strides in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease, and overall, affected individuals are living longer and in better health. Yet approximately 40,000 Americans are still infected every year, half of whom are under the age of 25, and over 1 million Americans are living with this disease. My own State of Illinois ranks sixth in the Nation for HIV/AIDS, and our health officials and experts continue to work diligently to reduce the number of newly infected, as well as provide high quality care to those who are infected. As with so many diseases, HIV/AIDS has had a disproportionate impact on the Latino community. While representing only 14 percent of the U.S. population, Latinos comprise 20 percent of the population affected by HIV/AIDS. However, unlike every other racial and ethnic group, the number of estimated deaths among Latinos with AIDS is actually increasing--a 17 percent growth between 1999 and 2003. As the largest and fastest growing ethnic minority group in the U.S., it is imperative that HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment in the Latino community remain a top priority for our Nation.…”