Reps. Hildenbrand, Vander Veen, Accavitti, Anderson, Ball, Baxter, Bennett, Bieda, Brandenburg, Caswell, Clack, Gaffney, Garfield, Gillard, Gleason, Hansen, Kooiman, Kathleen Law, Lemmons, III, Lemmons, Jr., Meisner, Meyer, Miller, Moolenaar, Mortimer, Nitz, Nofs, Pavlov, Pearce, Proos, Sak, Shaffer, Alma Smith, Stakoe, Tobocman and Zelenko offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 282.

            A resolution to memorialize Congress to enact legislation reauthorizing the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act.

            Whereas, More than 1,000,000 American men, women, and children have been infected with HIV and nearly 1,000,000 have been diagnosed with AIDS since 1981. More than 519,000 Americans have died of AIDS, including more than 8,000 deaths in Michigan. Today, more than 415,000 Americans and 5,600 patients in Michigan are living with AIDS. Up to 280,000 Americans, fully 25% of those infected, are HIV-positive and do not know it. These 280,000 Americans who are unaware of their HIV-positive status are responsible for half of the more than 40,000 new cases of HIV infection each year; and

            Whereas, The 280,000 Americans who do not know they are HIV-positive cannot be treated or counseled and many of them will develop AIDS. Technological advances have led to the development of rapid tests for HIV that can produce accurate results in as little as 20 minutes. Seventy percent of HIV-positive Americans modify their personal behaviors after counseling so as to be less of a risk to others. HIV-positive case counts today are the best predictor of AIDS case counts tomorrow. Scientists do not foresee the development of an HIV/AIDS vaccine in the near future; and

            Whereas, Preventing the further spread of HIV/AIDS must be a national priority. It has been shown that an increase in HIV testing leads to a direct decrease in new HIV infections. The Centers for Disease Control has recommended that HIV testing become part of routine medical care in all possible settings so that individuals who have learned of their HIV status may be linked to proper care, support, and prevention services. The Secretary of Health and Human Services has called for increased HIV testing. HIV testing will lead to a great saving in human lives, a great reduction in human suffering, and a great easing of the burden on overstretched AIDS programs. Reauthorizing the Ryan White CARE Act will have a profound effect on American public health for the next five years and beyond; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize Congress to enact legislation reauthorizing the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.