,,iv #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,,res4 #aaa ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,february #g1 #bjai,ms4 ,lee of ,california submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce ,,resolution ,supporting the goals and ideals of ,national ,black ,,hiv_/,,aids ,awareness ,day4 ,whereas the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention 7,,cdc7 estimates that in the ,united ,states more than #a1ajj1jjj people are living with ,,hiv1 and #ae percent do not know they are infected2 ,whereas in #bjag1 approximately #ch1gci people were diagnosed with ,,hiv in the ,united ,states2 ,whereas since the beginning of the ,,hiv_/,,aids epidemic in the ,united ,states1 racial and ethnic minorities have been disproportionately affected by the disease2 ,whereas ,african ,americans are diagnosed with ,,aids later than their ,white counterparts1 are confronted with greater barriers in accessing care and treatment1 and face higher morbidity and mortality outcomes2 ,whereas ,african ,americans account for nearly half of all those with ,,aids who have died in the ,united ,states since the beginning of the epidemic2 ,whereas in #bjae1 #c1cgi ,african ,americans died of ,,hiv or ,,aids1 accounting for #eb percent of total deaths attributed to the disease that year2 ,whereas in #bjad1 ,,hiv_/,,aids was the #fth leading cause of death for ,black men overall and for ,black women ages #be-cd1 and the #eth for ,black men ages #ce-dd and #dth for ,black women ages #ce-dd in #bjad1 ranking higher than their respective counterparts in any other racial_/ethnic group2 ,whereas in #bjaf1 ,african ,americans represented #dd percent of all people living with ,,hiv in the ,united ,states1 despite comprising just #ab percent of the ,united ,states population2 ,whereas in #bjaf1 over #ag1jjj ,african ,americans were diagnosed with ,,hiv2 ,whereas ,african-,american gay and bisexual men are more affected by ,,hiv than any other group in the ,united ,states1 accounting for a higher proportion of ,,hiv diagnoses1 those living with ,,hiv1 those ever diagnosed with ,,aids1 and ,,hiv_/,,aids-related deaths2 ,whereas in #bjaf1 more than half of ,african ,americans diagnosed with ,,hiv were gay or bisexual men2 ,whereas in #bjaf1 among all gay and bisexual men who had received an ,,hiv diagnosis1 ,african ,americans accounted for the highest number 7#ch percent72 ,whereas according to a #bjaf study by the ,,cdc1 an estimated half of ,black gay men will be diagnosed with ,,hiv in their lifetime1 if current ,,hiv diagnoses rates persist2 ,whereas homophobia1 stigma1 and discrimination pose major obstacles to ,,hiv testing1 treatment and other prevention services for gay and bisexual ,african-,american men2 ,whereas among all women diagnosed with ,,hiv in #bjaf1 #fa percent were ,african ,american1 despite comprising only #ad percent of the female population in the ,united ,states2 ,whereas ,african-,american women face the highest risk of ,,hiv and other sexually transmitted infections 7,s,t,is7 compared with women of other groups2 ,whereas the ,,hiv diagnosis rate for ,african-,american women remains #af times as high as that of ,white women1 and almost five times that of ,hispanic women2 ,whereas among ,african-,american women1 the leading transmission category of ,,hiv infection is heterosexual contact1 followed by intravenous drug use2 ,whereas research indicates that the high incarceration rates of ,black men may contribute to the disproportionate rates of ,,hiv infections among ,black women2 ,whereas in #bjaj--the most recent data available--there were more than #bj1jjj inmates with ,,hiv_/,,aids in ,state and ,federal prisons1 a prevalence that is #d times the rate of ,,hiv in the general population2 ,whereas among incarcerated populations1 ,african-,american men are #e times as likely as ,white men1 and twice as likely as ,hispanic_/,latino men1 to be diagnosed with ,,hiv2 ,whereas among incarcerated populations1 ,african-,american women are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with ,,hiv as ,white or ,hispanic_/,latino women2 ,whereas transgender women in the ,united ,states are at high risk for ,,hiv2 ,whereas more than half of all transgender people diagnosed with ,,hiv are ,black or ,african ,american2 ,whereas the ,southern ,united ,states now experiences the highest burden of the ,,hiv_/,,aids epidemic2 ,whereas in #bjag1 the ,south made up #eb percent of the new ,,hiv diagnoses in the ,united ,states2 ,whereas ,african ,americans are severely and disproportionately affected by ,,hiv in the ,south1 accounting for #ec percent of all new ,,hiv infections in the region2 ,whereas socioeconomic issues impact the rates of ,,hiv infection among ,african ,americans in the ,south and throughout the ,united ,states2 ,whereas socioeconomic factors like income inequality1 poverty1 and lack of access to ,,hiv prevention education and basic health services1 and cultural factors like homophobia1 transphobia1 and racism all pose significant challenges to combating the ,,hiv_/,,aids epidemic2 ,whereas we are seeing signs of progress2 ,whereas from #bjaa to #bjae1 ,,hiv diagnoses among ,african-,american women fell by nearly #bj percent and have also fallen sharply among ,african ,americans who inject drugs2 ,whereas testing1 education1 counseling1 and harm reduction practices are all critical to prevent ,,hiv2 ,whereas life-saving treatment is also a proven prevention tool1 and research shows that antiretroviral drugs can reduce the amount of virus to undetectable levels 7also known as viral suppression71 effectively resulting in no risk of transmission of ,,hiv2 ,whereas in #bjab1 the ,food and ,drug ,administration approved pre-exposure prophylaxis 7,pr,e,p7 as prevention for people who are ,,hiv-negative2 ,whereas ,pr,e,p can reduce the risk of ,,hiv infection for ,,hiv-negative people by up to #ii percent2 ,whereas in #aiih1 ,congress and the ,clinton administration created the ,national ,minority ,,aids ,initiative to help coordinate funding1 build capacity1 and provide prevention1 care1 and treatment services within the ,african-,american1 ,hispanic1 ,asian ,pacific ,islander1 and ,native ,american communities2 ,whereas the ,national ,minority ,,aids ,initiative assists with leadership development of community-based organizations 7,c,b,os71 establishes and links provider networks1 builds community prevention infrastructure1 promotes technical assistance among ,c,b,os1 and raises awareness among ,african-,american communities2 ,whereas #bjai marks the twenty-first year of the ,national ,minority ,,aids ,initiative which has successfully established life-saving services and programs to address the needs of those communities1 families1 and individuals most impacted and burdened ,,hiv2 ,whereas in #bjaj1 the ,obama administration unveiled the first ,national ,,hiv_/,,aids ,strategy1 which identified a set of priorities and strategic action steps tied to measurable outcomes for moving the ,nation forward in addressing the domestic ,,hiv epidemic2 ,whereas in #bjac1 the ,national ,association for the ,advancement of ,colored ,people 7,,naacp7 released a manual of best practices for faith leaders to mobilize communities1 advocate for community support for people infected with and affected by ,,hiv_/,,aids1 and organize dialogues on ,,hiv_/,,aids as a social justice issue as part of ,the ,black ,church and ,,hiv3 ,the ,social ,justice ,imperative2 ,whereas in ,july #bjae1 the ,national ,,hiv_/,,aids ,strategy for the ,united ,states3 ,updated to #bjbj was released and included actions and goals in order to reduce ,,hiv-related disparities and inequalities2 ,whereas the ,affordable ,care ,act's expansion of ,medicaid and reforms to the individual insurance market have helped lower the uninsured rates for nonelderly ,african ,americans by more than one-third between #bjac and #bjaf1 leading to better health outcomes for ,african ,americans living with or at risk of ,,hiv2 ,whereas ,national ,black ,,hiv_/,,aids ,awareness ,day was founded by #e national organizations in #aiii to provide capacity-building assistance to ,black communities and organizations2 and ,whereas each year on ,february #g1 individuals1 organizations1 and policy makers across the ,nation participate in ,national ,black ,,hiv_/,,aids ,awareness ,day to promote ,,hiv education1 testing1 community involvement1 and treatment in ,black communities3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,house of ,representatives-- 7#a7 supports the goals and ideals of ,national ,black ,,hiv_/,,aids ,awareness ,day2 7#b7 encourages ,state and local governments1 including their public health agencies1 and media organizations to recognize and support such day1 to publicize its importance among their communities1 and to encourage individuals1 especially ,african ,americans1 to get tested for ,,hiv2 7#c7 commends the work of ,,aids service organizations1 community-based organizations1 faith-based organizations providers1 community health centers and health departments that are providing effective1 evidence-based1 prevention1 treatment1 care1 and support services to people living with and vulnerable to ,,hiv_/,,aids2 7#d7 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#e7 supports reducing the impact of incarceration as a driver of new ,,hiv infections within the ,african-,american community2 7#f7 supports reducing the number of ,,hiv infections in the ,african-,american community resulting from intravenous drug use2 7#g7 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 treatment as early as possible2 7#h7 supports appropriate funding for ,,hiv_/,,aids prevention1 care1 treatment1 research1 and housing1 including community-based approaches to fight stigma1 discrimination1 racism1 sexism1 homophobia1 and transphobia2 and 7#i7 encourages comprehensive prevention1 treatment1 and care strategies that empower public health workers1 educators1 faith leaders1 and other stakeholders to engage their communities to help decrease violence1 discrimination1 and stigma towards individuals who disclose their sexual orientation1 gender identity1 or ,,hiv status4