HIV Testing Day

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to National HIV Testing Day, which takes place on June 27. This day serves as an important opportunity to urge everyone to get tested. I would like to thank all of the advocates, care coordinators, and healthcare providers, both in my community and around the country, for their tireless work in serving the HIV-positive community and raising awareness of HIV issues more generally.

There are over one million people of all ages, ethnicities, and sexual orientations in the United States living with the HIV virus, and South Florida has one of the highest HIV infection rates in the country. Sadly, nearly one in six HIV-positive individuals do not know that they are infected, which means that they could be unknowingly spreading the virus. We simply must close this gap so that we may improve health outcomes for those living with HIV and protect against future infections.

HIV does not discriminate--it impacts people old and young, gay and straight, and of all nationalities and ethnic backgrounds. To highlight this critical issue, I will be hosting a call to action in my district. I hope that everyone will take this opportunity to get tested for HIV and to ask their friends and family to do the same.

Again I would like to thank the advocates, care coordinators and healthcare providers in South Florida and around the country for their tireless work in preventing, detecting, and treating HIV. I wish them the best as they pursue this daunting but important endeavor.

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