We Must Make AIDS a Memory, Not Forget About It

Today’s signing of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Modernization Act is a crucial step in our ongoing battle against HIV and AIDS.  For years, the Ryan White CARE Act has been instrumental in our fight, giving hope to those living with HIV and AIDS by providing care, services, and access to lifesaving medication.  With the signing of this bill, we renew our commitment to addressing this serious issue.

But our work is not yet done.  We must remain vigilant in our fight against HIV and AIDS, recognizing that the reauthorization of the Ryan White CARE Act is only one of the many steps we must take if we are to make HIV and AIDS a distant memory.  Funding has not kept pace with the number of people with AIDS or with inflation, dropping 35 percent per case since 2001.  It is long past time we provide additional funding, and next year, under a Democratic Congress, we will reverse that decline.