Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act Of 2009

Floor Speech

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Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, for almost two decades, the Ryan White Act has played an essential role in the development and maintenance of systems of care for people living with HIV and AIDS. Today, Congress has the opportunity to continue this lifesaving work.

Essential to our efforts has been the leadership of Chairman Frank Pallone of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health. And I want to especially acknowledge Chairman Henry Waxman for his decades of magnificent and determined leadership in the fight against HIV/AIDS. From day one of this epidemic, Henry Waxman has been on the frontlines leading the charge.

I also want to pay tribute to another great leader who was there from day one of this epidemic: Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Senator Kennedy was tireless in his efforts to ensure the federal government, and the entire health system, eventually rose to the challenge of this crisis with the resources and commitment it demanded. His legacy lives on in the Ryan White Act and the hundreds of thousands of people each year it helps access the medication and primary care they need to stay healthy.

As everyone knows, San Francisco was hit early and was hit hard by the devastation of AIDS. But San Franciscans responded to the needs of our neighbors by developing a system of community-based care that became the model for the Ryan White CARE Act when it was first enacted in 1990. As a result, San Francisco produced data that showed the country comprehensive HIV/AIDS care and services not only saves lives, but also saves money by keeping people healthy and productive.

Today, Ryan White-funded initiatives are a fundamental component of the systems of care upon which low income individuals with HIV and AIDS rely. Declines in AIDS deaths are a direct result of the therapies and services that have been made more widely available through the Ryan White Act to large numbers of uninsured and under-insured people living with HIV and AIDS.

Each year, this legislation ensures access to lifesaving medical services, including pharmaceuticals, for over 500,000 clients--almost half of the individuals living with HIV/AIDS in this country. Passage of the Ryan White reauthorization will continue to increase access to primary care and medications by providing additional resources and facilitating the transition to HIV reporting.

The Ryan White Act has always focused on establishing and maintaining effective systems of health care. This means avoiding drastic cuts that destabilize existing resources. For this reason, many of us were disappointed when the Bush Administration implemented the 2006 reauthorization in a way that caused drastic cuts to several jurisdictions, including the San Francisco Eligible Metropolitan Area. Unfortunately, Senate Republicans objected to correcting these implementation flaws in this reauthorization. However, I remain committed to responding to these needs through the appropriations process, as we have done each year since the Bush Administration first attempted to impose these destabilizing cuts.

The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act will continue our commitment to hundreds of thousands of low income people living with HIV/AIDS. In so doing, we will save lives, save money, and help create a healthier America. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

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