The White House
President George W. Bush
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
February 1, 2006

Fact Sheet: Continuing the Fight Against HIV/AIDS in America

In his State of the Union Address, President Bush Highlighted The Administration's Ongoing Commitment To Preventing, Treating, And Defeating HIV/AIDS In The United States. More than one million Americans live with HIV, and half of all AIDS cases occur among African Americans. The President has made fighting the domestic spread of HIV/AIDS a top priority, and he will continue to work with Congress to support effective prevention and compassionate care and treatment.

Taking Action Against HIV/AIDS At Home

Today, More Than One Million Americans Are Living With HIV/AIDS. An estimated 250,000 people do not realize that they carry the virus. Roughly 40,000 new transmissions occur every year in the United States, about half of them resulting from individuals unaware they are infecting others. The number of AIDS cases is especially high in African-American, Hispanic, and gay communities, as well as among intravenous drug users and prisoners.

The Administration Is Taking Action To Turn The Tide Against HIV/AIDS In The United States And Provide More Help To People Who Need It Most. President Bush is committed to combating HIV/AIDS and his Administration has taken major strides to address the needs of patients and prevent the spread of this terrible disease.

With The Help Of Medicine, And Their Own Courage, More Americans Are Managing With HIV/AIDS - A Condition That Was Once Uniformly Fatal. The realities of living with HIV/AIDS have changed for the better over the years, from a time when an HIV diagnosis was perceived as a death sentence, to the present day when HIV-positive Americans can live for many years with the help of medications and proper care.

A Plan To Meet Key Domestic HIV/AIDS Challenges

The President Outlined His Plan To Overcome Domestic HIV/AIDS Challenges Through Compassion, Commitment, And Decisive Action. We now confront three key domestic HIV/AIDS challenges: getting prescription drugs to those who need them, testing those who do not yet know their status, and raising the awareness of those who do not know they should be tested. President Bush has proposed a new domestic HIV/AIDS initiative to address these remaining difficulties head-on and to bring closer the day when there are no new infections in America.

Taking Action Against HIV/AIDS Abroad

The United States Is Committed To Supporting Our Global Partners And To The Historic Challenge Of Turning The Tide Against A Pandemic. Efforts to defeat HIV/AIDS at home complement the President's ambitious commitment to combat the disease in some of the world's most afflicted nations. Nations around the world are fighting for the lives of their citizens - and America is now their strongest partner in that fight.

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