OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Modernization Act Of 2006

Date: Sept. 28, 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Health and Health Care


RYAN WHITE HIV/AIDS TREATMENT MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2006 -- (House of Representatives - September 28, 2006)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 3 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great regret that I rise in opposition to this bill. Unlike previous reauthorizations of the Ryan White CARE Act, I believe the legislation before us has the potential to do great harm to systems of care around the country and place HIV/AIDS patients at risk.

In my home State of New Jersey, for example, we have tremendous need for CARE Act dollars. We have the highest proportion of cumulative AIDS cases in women. We rank third in cumulative pediatric AIDS cases, and fifth in overall cumulative AIDS cases. In the early days of this epidemic when the Federal Government refused to help, New Jersey stepped forward and did the right thing.

Ever since then, we have remained at the forefront of this battle working hard to provide the medical and support services HIV/AIDS patients need to live longer.

But that will all change if this bill is enacted. This bill will punish States like New Jersey for keeping people alive and preventing new infections. It sets up a very perverse disincentive. It says to States: you will be penalized for doing a good job. This is not the message that Washington should be sending back home.

Mr. Speaker, there are a number of reasons why this bill is flawed. The most obvious is that it is woefully underfunded. As a result, it sets up a vicious system of winners and losers. This bill pits AIDS against HIV, urban centers against rural communities. This is not how you treat a public health emergency.

If Republicans would stop draining the Treasury to help pay for the tax cuts, we would have the resources necessary to adequately address this epidemic. Ultimately this bill is flawed, Mr. Speaker. It has no business being considered in the waning days of the session on this Suspension Calendar.

Mr. Speaker, it needs to be fixed so that every State has the resources to treat their HIV/AIDS patients. I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill. Instead, let's pass a temporary reauthorization that holds every State harmless so that we can work out these problems.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCIPT

http://thomas.loc.gov/

arrow_upward