Congresswoman Barbara Lee Calls for the End of AIDS
After International AIDS Conference, Congresswoman Encourages Continued Bipartisan Support
August 1, 2012 - Washington, D.C. - Following the completion of the 19th International AIDS Conference,
Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-09) thanked the International AIDS Society for choosing Washington, D.C. as the host city. Known as
AIDS 2012, the International AIDS Conference marked a dramatic return to U.S. soil of this major biannual global health gathering
after a hiatus of 22 years. Congresswoman Lee was the original sponsor of legislation that cleared the way for the conference to
be held in the United States by repealing the Immigration and Travel ban that barred the entry of HIV positive individuals.
"The return of the Conference was an important opportunity to shine a global spotlight on the fight against AIDS here
in the United States and a national spotlight on the ongoing global epidemic," said Congresswoman Lee, Co-chair of the Congressional
HIV/AIDS Caucus. "AIDS is still the greatest humanitarian crisis of our lifetime. As we work to turn the tide together, America's
need for a greater AIDS response underscores that AIDS 2012 was an important and long overdue opportunity for our domestic
pandemic to become part of a global effort."
Congresswoman Lee addressed the Opening Session of AIDS 2012. She welcomed the delegates from the Bay Area,
discussed the importance of bi-partisan cooperation on fighting AIDS, and called on Congress to commit to achieving an AIDS
Free Generation. Throughout the week, Congresswoman Lee participated in a number of events, including a bipartisan
Congressional panel on the important role of the U.S. Congress' continued U.S. leadership to combat HIV/AIDS around the
world where she highlighted the important role of the Congressional Black Caucus in the creation of PEPFAR. Watch her
Opening Session speech here: Opening Session Speech.
"While at the conference, I saw first-hand that our youth are a key element in our fight to turn the tide against AIDS," said
Congresswoman Lee. "Recognizing the central role young people play in the fight is an important step in addressing the unequal burden
young people carry in this epidemic. That is why I am calling for a National Youth HIV & AIDS Awareness Day."
n advance of the conference, Congresswoman Lee introduced H.R. 6138, a bill that articulates a 5-year Global HIV/AIDS-Free
Generation Strategy to expand and improve efforts to combat global HIV/AIDS, while promoting efficiency and maximizing results.
The Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic Act of 2012 increases and targets federal resources to maximize impact of HIV efforts,
expands efforts to end stigma and discrimination, repeals and reforms laws that violate human rights and undermine
the positive impact of resources, and maximizes federal coordinating efforts to drive greater efficiency and
improved results in all HIV and related programs. The bill also provides for the expansion of
comprehensive sex education, the distribution of condoms to people in prison, and improved
provisions for monitoring HIV care.
"Secretary of State Clinton announced that the Administration will deliver a blueprint to achieve an AIDS Free Generation
and intensify efforts to reach at-risk populations," said Congresswoman Lee. "I am hopeful that we can continue down a bipartisan
path to secure the funding and support needed to make this a reality. If any issue is post-partisan, it is AIDS. Pathology
knows no ideology."
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Congresswoman Lee has been a leader in the fight against the global HIV/AIDS pandemic. She co-authored legislation signed into law creating the Global Fund to Fight AIDS,
TB and Malaria in 2000, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in 2003, the PEPFAR Reauthorization Act in 2008, and in
2005 legislation addressing the needs of orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS. She has also been a leader in the
effort to establish a National AIDS Strategy, and is a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, Human
Services & Education with jurisdiction over all domestic HIV/AIDS funding. She is the only United States
representative on United Nations Development Programme's Global Commission on HIV and the Law and was
the original sponsor of legislation that lead to the repeal of the Immigration and Travel ban that
barred the entry of HIV positive individuals. The repeal allowed the International AIDS
conference to be held in the U.S. after 20 years.
