,,iv #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,,res4 #fgc ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,july #ag1 #bjad ,ms4 ,waters 7for herself1 ,ms4 ,lee of ,california1 ,mrs4 ,christensen1 ,mr4 ,grijalva1 ,mr4 ,david ,scott of ,georgia1 ,ms4 ,norton1 ,ms4 ,velzquez1 ,mr4 ,clay1 ,mr4 ,danny ,k4 ,davis of ,illinois1 ,mr4 ,sean ,patrick ,maloney of ,new ,york1 ,mr4 ,honda1 ,ms4 ,hahn1 ,ms4 ,jackson ,lee1 ,mr4 ,hastings of ,florida1 ,mr4 ,rangel1 ,mr4 ,meeks1 ,mr4 ,lewis1 and ,mr4 ,himes7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce ,,resolution ,supporting the goals and ideals of ,national ,clinicians ,,hiv_/,,aids ,testing and ,awareness ,day1 and for other purposes4 ,whereas ,,hiv_/,,aids is a devastating epidemic that continues to spread in communities throughout the ,united ,states2 ,whereas more than #a1hjj1jjj people in the ,united ,states have been infected by ,,hiv_/,,aids since the first cases were reported #cc years ago2 ,whereas there are more than #a1ajj1jjj people living with ,,hiv_/,,aids in the ,united ,states today2 ,whereas there are approximately #ej1jjj new ,,hiv infections and approximately #af1jjj new ,,aids-related deaths every year in the ,united ,states2 ,whereas every #iab minutes another person in the ,united ,states becomes infected with ,,hiv2 ,whereas ,president ,barack ,obama released the ,national ,,hiv_/,,aids ,strategy on ,july #ac1 #bjaj1 in order to refocus attention on the domestic ,,hiv_/,,aids epidemic2 ,whereas the ,national ,,hiv_/,,aids ,strategy focuses on three major goals1 including reducing the number of new ,,hiv infections1 increasing access to care and improving health outcomes for people living with ,,hiv and ,,aids1 and reducing ,,hiv-related health disparities2 ,whereas ,,hiv_/,,aids is spreading rapidly among women1 young people1 and racial minorities1 all of which are demographic groups that were not considered to be at significant risk of ,,hiv infection during the early years of the epidemic2 ,whereas women account for #bj percent of new ,,hiv infections in the ,united ,states2 ,whereas ,african-,americans account for #dd percent of new ,,hiv infections1 although only #ab percent of the population as a whole is ,black2 ,whereas ,hispanic-,americans account for #ba percent of new ,,hiv infections1 although only #af percent of the population as a whole is ,hispanic2 ,whereas ,asian-,americans account for #b percent of new ,,hiv infections1 and ,american ,indians_/,alaska ,natives1 ,native ,hawaiians_/,pacific ,islanders1 and individuals of multiple races together account for an additional #b percent2 ,whereas ,african-,american women account for #fd percent of new ,,hiv infections among women2 ,whereas people of color account for #fi percent of new ,,hiv infections2 ,whereas about #af percent of the people living with ,,hiv_/,,aids in the ,united ,states do not know they are infected2 ,whereas the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention's guidelines for ,,hiv screening in health care settings recommend routine ,,hiv testing for all patients between the ages of #ac and #fd1 regardless of risk factors2 ,whereas individuals are more likely to act responsibly and protect themselves and other persons in the community when they know their ,,hiv status2 ,whereas encouraging people to be tested for ,,hiv is a critical element in ,,hiv_/,,aids prevention and treatment efforts2 ,whereas individuals who are ,,hiv-positive must learn their status in order to obtain counseling on managing their health1 access appropriate medical and social services1 begin life-prolonging treatment1 and take actions to avoid spreading the virus to others2 ,whereas physicians1 physician assistants1 nurses1 dentists1 and other clinicians play a vital role in providing access to ,,hiv_/,,aids awareness1 testing1 treatment1 and referral services1 and in encouraging patients to get tested for ,,hiv2 ,whereas ,howard ,university ,college of ,medicine has declared ,july #ba1 #bjad1 to be the seventh annual ,national ,clinicians ,,hiv_/,,aids ,testing and ,awareness ,day in an effort to encourage clinicians nationwide to become actively involved in ,,hiv_/,,aids awareness1 testing1 treatment1 and referral services2 ,whereas a diverse group of organizations representing communities affected by ,,hiv_/,,aids have partnered with ,howard ,university ,college of ,medicine to promote the goals and ideals of ,national ,clinicians ,,hiv_/,,aids ,testing and ,awareness ,day2 ,whereas the seventh annual ,national ,clinicians ,,hiv_/,,aids ,testing and ,awareness ,day will give all physicians1 physician assistants1 nurses1 dentists1 and other clinicians an opportunity to get personally involved in the fight against ,,hiv_/,,aids by taking an ,,hiv test1 personally demonstrating the importance as well as the ease of ,,hiv testing2 ,whereas the ,national ,clinicians ,,hiv_/,,aids ,testing and ,awareness ,day will be a call to action to clinicians nationwide to lead the way in dispelling the myths and stigma associated with ,,hiv testing and become vocal advocates for patients and communities2 and ,whereas the ,national ,clinicians ,,hiv_/,,aids ,testing and ,awareness ,day will encourage clinicians to become actively involved in ,,hiv_/,,aids awareness1 testing1 treatment1 and referral services3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,house of ,representatives-- 7#a7 supports the goals and ideals of the seventh annual ,national ,clinicians ,,hiv_/,,aids ,testing and ,awareness ,day2 7#b7 encourages primary care physicians and other clinicians nationwide to become actively involved in ,,hiv_/,,aids awareness1 testing1 treatment1 and referral services2 7#c7 encourages the media to observe the seventh annual ,national ,clinicians ,,hiv_/,,aids ,testing and ,awareness ,day by educating clinicians about the important role they play in providing access to ,,hiv_/,,aids awareness1 testing1 treatment1 and referral services and by educating clinicians and the public about the benefits of ,,hiv testing2 and 7#d7 encourages individuals to get tested for ,,hiv and educate themselves about the prevention and treatment of ,,hiv_/,,aids4