Danny Davis: “Well, I thank the gentleman. As we have discussed this afternoon and we have pointed out, all of our speakers have, the…”

“Well, I thank the gentleman. As we have discussed this afternoon and we have pointed out, all of our speakers have, the impact of HIV and AIDS in the African American community, we know that it has indeed been devastating. As a matter of fact, through December of 1998, the Center for Disease Control had received reports of 688,200 AIDS cases. And of those, 251,408 cases occurred among African Americans. Representing only an estimated 12 percent of the total United States population, African Americans make up almost 37 percent of all AIDS cases reported in this country. Researchers estimate that 240,000 to 325,000 African Americans, about one in 50 African American men and one in 160 African American women, are infected with HIV. Of those infected with HIV, it is estimated that more than 106,000 African Americans are living with AIDS. So when we see a program like Project Alpha, there is no doubt about its importance in mentoring, educating and encouraging young adults to be responsible during their teen years and beyond.”