Congresswoman Maxine Waters Honors National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43) introduced a resolution to recommit the House of Representatives to bipartisan efforts to end the HIV epidemic in the United States and globally in recognition of National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. It also calls for a greater focus on the HIV-related vulnerabilities of women and girls.

Congresswoman Waters has been spearheading initiatives to increase HIV/AIDS awareness since the 1980s, including with the establishment of the Minority AIDS Initiative. The Minority AIDS initiative significantly expanded HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment efforts for minority communities. Because of her advocacy, the funding for this initiative has increased from the initial appropriation of $156 million in Fiscal Year 1999 to more than $400 million per year today. 

“I have been advocating for HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention, screening, and treatment for the entirety of my career,” said Congresswoman Maxine Waters. “Women and girls are disproportionately affected by HIV and face unique barriers in accessing prevention and treatment services. My resolution ensures that we continue efforts to improve access to life-saving medications for women and girls affected by HIV/AIDS in the United States and globally.”

Last year, Waters led a bipartisan group of 60 Members of Congress in calling for robust funding for domestic HIV/AIDS programs in a letter to House Appropriations Committee leaders. The letter was a response to House Republicans’ proposal to cut $767 million from domestic HIV/AIDS programs, including the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative, and the Minority AIDS Initiative.

Alongside Waters, this resolution is cosponsored by Representatives Robin L. Kelly (IL-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-00), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Dina Titus (NV-01), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

Read the resolution HERE.