Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I rise tonight to express my strong support as a cosponsor of the Waters-Kucinich-Crowley-Lee amendment. This important amendment would restore the ability of developing countries to pass laws that make HIV and AIDS pharmaceuticals and medical technologies accessible to people living with HIV and AIDS. The global AIDS crisis is the greatest humanitarian pandemic of our time. There are 36 million people worldwide living with AIDS. In sub-Saharan Africa alone, 6,000 people die each and every day from HIV and AIDS. The United Nations estimates that without a comprehensive response to this crisis, by 2005, there will be 100 million people infected with HIV and AIDS. That is over 100 million people. That is mind-boggling. This amendment will allow African nations and those in developing countries to close the gap in access to HIV and AIDS therapies for people living with AIDS. Existing World Trade Organization policies unduly restrict the flexibility of countries to address the HIV and AIDS pandemic. This results in lives being lost.”