The CBC "Message to America" is distributed nationwide to the American Urban Radio Network’s (AURN) affiliate stations.

 

WHO:        U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA)

WHEN:      Saturday, June 10, 2006; 12:06 p.m. EST

WHERE:   American Urban Radio Network Affiliate Stations

"Hello this is Congresswoman Barbara Lee of California and I am pleased to deliver the Congressional Black Caucus Message to America.

"This week marked the 25th anniversary of the discovery of AIDS.  As the chair of the CBC Task Force on Global HIV and AIDS, I believe it is time to get real about the fact that this disease is devastating to the African-American community. 

"Although African Americans represent about 12 percent of the population, they account for about 50 percent of all people living with HIV and AIDS. African America women account for over 60 percent of all infections among women. In fact AIDS is the leading cause of death for African American women between the ages of 25 to 34.

"Protecting our community from this preventable disease means we must de-stigmatize HIV and AIDS and develop community awareness and understanding to make it easier for people to get tested, seek voluntary counseling and learn how they can protect themselves.

"To do that we have to break the silence. That means men and women must talk to each other about HIV and AIDS and about the need to use protection. It means having an open dialogue within churches and community organizations. It means having an open and honest discussion about the "down-low" and homosexuality within the African American community.

"We must also make sure that our government lives up to its obligation to provide the vital funds to address this crisis. We must immediately reauthorize and increase funding for the Ryan White CARE Act to end the waiting list for drug treatment, expand voluntary counseling and rapid testing, help steer HIV positive individuals into care and to discourage risky behavior, and provide supportive services for people living with HIV and AIDS.

"We must increase funding for the Minority AIDS Initiative to at least $610 million this year. By substantially increasing funding for both these programs, we can make an impact in the lives of African Americans living with HIV and AIDS and help protect those who are still vulnerable to this disease.

"Finally, it is important that we remember that Africa and the African Diaspora have been hardest hit by this global pandemic and our international efforts to stop this disease should reflect that fact.

"This month, as we celebrate the first annual Caribbean American Heritage Month, we recognize the tremendous toil that AIDS has taken on the Caribbean, the second hardest hit region in the world after Africa.

"I believe that we can stop the terrible toil that HIV has taken on our community and eliminate this disease all together. But it is going to take commitment and we are going to have to work together.

"This is Congresswoman Barbara Lee with the CBC Message to America. Thank you for listening."