Since its enactment, the Ryan White CARE Act has helped thousands of Latinos living with HIV/AIDS to receive the care and treatment services they need to live healthy lives. Unfortunately, the Senate HELP Committee bill sent to the full Senate for a vote would cripple service delivery in many areas that have a high number of Latino HIV/AIDS cases (including NY, NJ, FL, PR and CA) by cutting millions of dollars from current funding. Such an outcome would effectively dismantle entire systems of care that serve thousands of Latinos.
Those cosponsoring the Lautenberg legislation are fellow Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Barack Obama (D-IL), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NJ), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) and Bill Nelson (D-FL). In the House, Pallone was joined by Reps. Henry Waxman (D-CA), Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Donald Payne (D-NJ), Jim Saxton (R-NJ) Robert Andrews (D-NJ), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Mike Ferguson (R-NJ), Steven Rothman (D-NJ), Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Lois Capps (D-CA), Hilda Solis (D-CA) Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Eliot Engel (D-NY).