Harry Reid: “But having been to Africa just a few months ago for the second time, and to see the difference in the approximately 8 or…”

“But having been to Africa just a few months ago for the second time, and to see the difference in the approximately 8 or 9 years from the time I first went, to see the devastation by this plague that is sweeping this continent is stark. It is frightening to think that thousands of people every day in that continent are dying--not hundreds. They don't take weekends off. There are no vacations. They continue to die during those periods of time. I say to my distinguished Republican leader, I also appreciate President Bush devoting some of his time in the State of the Union Address to AIDS and acknowledging that there is a need to do more financially. I appreciate that very much. I do say, however, to the majority leader, that, as you know, we tried last year to pass the same initiative. So it is not as if we have been standing still. We tried to do this in the past and, frankly, we were held up in its passage. I also say that the United States, of course, is doing a lot, doing more than any other country, as the majority leader has indicated. But I believe we have an obligation to do that. I think it is good that we are doing it. I think we should do more.”