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Congresswoman Waters Introduces Resolution in Honor of the Tenth Annual National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day

July 20, 2017

Congresswoman Waters Introduces Resolution in Honor of the Tenth Annual National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee and a leading advocate in Congress for HIV/AIDS prevention, testing, and treatment, introduced a resolution (H.Res. 463) in the House of Representatives today in honor of the tenth annual National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day, which is celebrated every year on July 21st. The resolution is cosponsored by 15 Members of Congress.

"I am proud to have supported National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day since its founding in 2008," said Congresswoman Waters. "This year, I am especially proud to introduce a resolution in honor of the tenth annual National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day. This important day is an opportunity to highlight the critical role that doctors, nurses, dentists, and other clinicians play in HIV/AIDS awareness, testing, and treatment efforts. It is also an opportunity to encourage clinicians to promote HIV testing among their patients."

H.Res. 463 urges physicians, nurses, dentists, and other clinicians nationwide to become actively involved in HIV/AIDS awareness, testing, treatment, and referral services. It also urges individuals to get tested for HIV and educate themselves about the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS.

"More than 1.2 million people are living with HIV/AIDS in the United States today, and almost one in eight do not know they are infected. By encouraging their patients to be tested for HIV, doctors and nurses can enable infected individuals to access appropriate medical care and begin taking action to avoid spreading the virus to others," stated Congresswoman Waters.

Congresswoman Waters is a leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS. She is continuing her efforts to expand the Minority AIDS Initiative, which she established as chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus in 1998. On April 6th of this year, she sent a letter to the House Appropriations Committee requesting $610 million for the Minority AIDS Initiative in fiscal year 2018, which was signed by 80 Members of Congress. Furthermore, she reintroduced the Stop AIDS in Prison Act (H.R. 1882), a bill to require the Federal Bureau of Prisons to develop a comprehensive policy to provide HIV/AIDS prevention, testing, and treatment for inmates in federal prisons; H.R. 1882 is cosponsored by 36 of her colleagues.