Frank Lautenberg: “The Ryan White CARE Act reauthorization legislation that is before us now would shift already inadequate Ryan White…”

“The Ryan White CARE Act reauthorization legislation that is before us now would shift already inadequate Ryan White money away from States such as New Jersey where the epidemic first appeared and where the need is still growing, to States where the epidemic is emerging. I have been to an AIDS ward in a hospital in Jersey City. I have looked in those cribs where those little things are, twitching and moving because they come from mothers who have been HIV-infected, and the effect is horrible to witness. These are poor people. In this State of mine we have five of America's poorest urban centers. That is where we see the dominance of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. This bill pits cities against cities, States against States, women against men, and urban areas against rural areas. That is not the way to do it, if you really care. We need to fully fund the Ryan White CARE Act. But the majority is not willing to do that. So they are trying to steal the funds away from States that have the need and already have the population to serve. It is less than amusing for me to hear people who oppose adequate funding for this program suddenly act like this is the primary concern to them, that everybody else who doesn't agree with them is cowardly. And these four Senators they keep identifying--I am one of the four, proud to be one of those four. If there is a newly emerging problem in rural areas, then there is one answer--add money, add funding.”