,,iv  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,h4 ,,res4 #cha  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of
 ,,representatives  ,october #aa1       
#bjac,mr4 ,ruiz 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,lee 
of ,california1 and ,ms4 ,ros-,lehtinen7
 submitted the following resolution2    
which was referred to the ,committee on 
,energy and ,commerce  ,,resolution     
,supporting the goals and ideals of     
,national ,latino ,,aids ,awareness ,day
 on ,october #ae1 #bjac1 and for other  
purposes4  ,whereas ,hispanics and      
,latinos are the ,nation's largest and  
fastest growing ethnic minority group in
 the ,united ,states and according to   
the ,census ,bureau 7#bjac7 the ,latino 
population in #bjac was #ec1jjj1jjj1    
making up #ag percent of the ,united    
,states population2 ,whereas in #bjaj1  
,latinos represented approximately #af  
percent of the ,united ,states          
population1 but accounted for #ba       
percent 7#aj1gca7 of new ,,hiv          
infections and #ai percent 7#afe1aei7 of
 people living with ,,hiv infection2    

,whereas in #bjaj1 ,latinos also        
accounted for #ba percent of new ,,aids 
diagnoses in #bjaa 7,,aids being the    
most advanced form of ,,hiv disease72   
,whereas in #bjaj1 the rate of new ,,hiv
 infections per #ajj1jjj ,latino adults 
and adolescents was the second highest  
of any racial or ethnic group1 over #c  
times that of ,whites1 but less than    
half that of ,blacks2 ,whereas in #bjaj1
 ,latinos accounted for nearly #a in #e 
deaths or #ah percent 7#c1eac7 among    
people with an ,,hiv diagnosis2 ,whereas
 in #bjaj1 ,latinas accounted for #ae   
percent 7#a1djj7 of new ,,hiv           
infections1 and their ,,hiv incidence   
rate was more than #d times the rate for
 ,white women2 ,whereas in #bjaa1 #fc   
percent of ,latinos ages #ah and older  
have never been tested for ,,hiv2       
,whereas among those who are ,,hiv      
positive1 the ,centers for ,disease     
,control and ,prevention 7,,cdc7 reports
 that #cf percent of ,latinos were      
tested for ,,hiv late in their illness1 

by comparison #ca percent of ,blacks and
 #cb percent of ,whites were tested     
late2 ,whereas a number of challenges   
contribute to the epidemic in ,latino   
communities1 including poverty1         
injection drug use1 homophobia stigma   
and discrimination1 limited access to   
health care1 and language or cultural   
barriers in health care settings2 and   
,whereas more than #if1bjj ,latinos with
 an ,,aids diagnosis have died since the
 epidemic began1 including #b1cgj in    
#bjaj3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the 
,house of ,representatives-- 7#a7       
supports the goals and ideals of        
,national ,latino ,,aids ,awareness     
,day2  7#b7 salutes more than #afe1aei  
,latino ,,aids survivors in the ,united 
,states and the efforts of individuals  
living with ,,hiv_/,,aids1 volunteers1  
and professionals who combat ,,aids each
 day2  7#c7 encourages ,state and local 
governments1 including public health    
agencies and media organizations1 to    
recognize and support ,national ,latino 

,,aids ,awareness ,day1 publicize its   
importance among communities1 and       
encourage individuals1 especially       
,latinos1 to get tested for ,,hiv2  7#d7
 commends the work of ,,aids service    
organizations and community and         
faith-based organizations that are      
providing effective1 evidence-based1    
prevention1 treatment1 care1 and support
 services to people living with and     
vulnerable to ,,hiv_/,,aids2  7#e7      
supports the implementation of the      
,national ,,hiv_/,,aids ,strategy and   
its goals to reduce new ,,hiv           
infections1 increase access to care and 
improve health outcomes for people      
living with ,,hiv1 reduce ,,hiv-related 
disparities and health inequities1 and  
achieve a more coordinated national     
response to the ,,hiv_/,,aids epidemic2 
7#f7 supports effective and             
comprehensive ,,hiv prevention education
 programs to promote the early          
identification of ,,hiv through         
voluntary routine testing1 and to       

connect those in need to clinically and 
culturally appropriate care and         
treatment2  7#g7 supports appropriate   
funding of ,,hiv_/,,aids prevention1    
care1 treatment1 research1 and housing1 
including community-based approaches to 
fight stigma1 discrimination1 and       
homophobia2 and  7#h7 encourages a      
comprehensive prevention and treatment  
strategy that empowers public health    
workers1 educators1 faith leaders1      
community-based organizations1 and other
 stakeholders to engage their           
communities to help decrease violence1  
discrimination1 and stigma towards      
individuals who disclose their sexual   
orientation or ,,hiv status1 and        
normalize voluntary testing practices4