Eva M. Clayton: “the Lee amendment deserves our enthusiastic support. This amendment provides $42 million for our effort against AIDS…”

“the Lee amendment deserves our enthusiastic support. This amendment provides $42 million for our effort against AIDS abroad. We can be thankful, Mr. Chairman, that many people in America today are living longer and more comfortable lives with AIDS. Not so in Africa. We can be grateful that the life expectancy of a person in the United States afflicted by AIDS has increased significantly since this Nation began paying attention to this disease some 20 years ago. Not so in Africa. AIDS has lowered the life expectancy in some places in Africa almost 20 years in just the last 10 years. In America, the number of new AIDS cases in recent years has declined, or at least has leveled off. Not so in Africa. In Africa, in some places, up to 35 percent of all adults are inflicted by the HIV-AIDS. The survival rate of women and children affected by AIDS in the United States is steadily increasing. Not so in Africa. In some parts of Africa, half of all the pregnant women are infected, and 15 percent of the children have been left as orphans due to AIDS. Drug therapy in response to AIDS is almost $20,000 annually. There is no money to pay. In fact, they commit less than $10. Every day, in Africa, more than 5,000 people die from AIDS--18 million lives have been lost to AIDS in Africa, in recent years. AIDS in Africa, Mr. Chairman, has been declared to be a threat to this Nation's national security. AIDS in Africa undermines efforts to extend democracy.”