Congresswoman Waters Reintroduces the Stop AIDS in Prison Act

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), a Congressional leader in the fight to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS through increased prevention, testing, treatment, and funding, reintroduced the Stop AIDS in Prison Act today. The Stop AIDS in Prison Act requires the Federal Bureau of Prisons to develop a comprehensive policy to provide HIV/AIDS prevention, testing, and treatment for inmates in federal prisons.

"The Stop AIDS in Prison Act will help stop the spread of HIV/AIDS among prison inmates, encourage them to take personal responsibility for their health, and reduce the risk that they will transmit HIV/AIDS to other people in the community following their release from prison," said Congresswoman Waters.

In a previous Congress in 2009, the Stop AIDS in Prison Act passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote (H.R. 1429). However, the Senate did not complete action on the bill prior to adjournment. The bill is now H.R. 895 and has 28 original cosponsors.

"AIDS is spreading in our nation's jails and prisons. According to the Department of Justice, the rate of confirmed AIDS cases in prisons is 2.5 times the rate in the general population," said Congresswoman Waters. "We need to take the threat of HIV/AIDS seriously and confront it in every institution of our society. That includes our nation's prison system."

Congresswoman Waters reintroduced the bill this week in honor of AIDSWatch, an annual gathering of HIV-positive individuals from across the country who come together to advocate policies to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic. AIDSWatch is organized by the Treatment Access Expansion Project and AIDS United this year, and took place in Washington, DC, on Feb. 25-26.

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