Washington, DC – Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson today submitted the following Congressional Record statement in recognition of National Latino AIDS Awareness Day of 2009, which is today.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Latino AIDS Awareness Day of 2009, which takes place today, on Thursday, October 15, 2009.  I want to commend the various individuals and groups that have worked hard to make this day a reality, including the Hispanic Federation, the Latino Commission on AIDS, the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors and various other local, regional, and national partners.

National Latino AIDS Awareness Day is an incredibly important day that helps bring attention to the problems the Latino community faces in regards to the HIV/AIDS crisis.  While the HIV/AIDS problem is an issue that affects every racial and ethnic group in the United States, it unfortunately has a disproportionate impact on the Latino community.  In 2006, there were roughly 80,000 Latinos living with AIDS, representing 18% of all those living with the disease, and although Latinos compromise 15.3% of the U.S. population, they account for 24.3% of new HIV infections.  Additionally, stigma within the community, lack of access to health care, and misinformation about the virus make it difficult to combat.  Truly, this must be changed, and embracing the goals and ideas of National Latino AIDS Awareness Day is a step towards making that happen.

I am reminded, too, that the Latino community is not alone in this struggle.  Other ethnic groups and particularly the African-American community are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS.  We must all stand together, learn from each other, and work toward ending this virus that hurts so many people in our country and across the world.

Madam Speaker, I urge my fellow colleagues to join me today in recognizing National Latino AIDS Awareness Day for the betterment of our country and the health of the numerous ethnic groups that add so much to our national character.

###

U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson is the highest-ranking Texan on the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure and a senior member of the Science Committee. She represents the 30th Congressional District of Texas, which, includes Downtown Dallas, Fair Park, Oak Lawn, Old East Dallas, Pleasant Grove, & South Oak Cliff; all of Balch Springs, DeSoto, Hutchins, Lancaster & Wilmer and parts of Cedar Hill, Duncanville, Ferris, Glenn Heights and Ovilla.