Congressman Edolphus Towns - New York 10th Congressional District

CONGRESSMAN ED TOWNS
10^TH DISTRICT, NEW YORK
NEWS RELEASE

	For Immediate Release		Contact: Rick Blake
	June 26, 2006		(202) 225-5936

CONGRESSMAN TOWNS CALLS ON CONGRESS TO FULLY FUND THE RYAN WHITE MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2006

Washington, DC - While praising the bipartisan and bicameral efforts to reauthorize the Ryan White CARE Act, Congressman Edolphus "Ed" Towns, 10th District of New York, said, "Enough is enough. New York should not have to suffer in any new reauthorization. We have historically borne the brunt of the HIV and AIDS epidemic. We have also provided the best services in the country for people with HIV and AIDS in the nation. Yet we will probably be the biggest losers in the proposed reauthorization, " said Cong. Towns. New York bears a disproportionate share of the epidemic with 17 percent of all persons living with AIDS compared to 7 percent of the U.S. population.

Mr. Towns recently introduced H. Res. 893 that calls upon Congress not to impose catastrophic losses in funding for those States that have borne the brunt of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and that currently have the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS. The resolution asks Congress to fully fund any reauthorization of the Ryan White Act for all states. New York may lose up to $24 million in funding under the proposed reauthorization. Other states that could lose under the proposed formulas include New Jersey, Florida and Texas.

One of the positive aspects of the reauthorization is the inclusion for the first time, of the Minority Aids Initiative (MAI). The MAI is a competitive grant program previously separate from the Ryan White Act, targeted to enhance the effectiveness of efforts to reduce the epidemic in racial and ethnic minority communities. "It is critical to make sure that the MAI continues to be a part of the Ryan White Act. We must formalize the process of helping people of color with HIV AIDS," said Cong. Towns.

At 39.7 per 100,000, New York’s annual rate of new AIDS cases in 2004 was the highest of any jurisdiction other than the District of Columbia. The epidemic in New York is dominated by HIV/AIDS in people of color. More than 75 percent of living HIV/AIDS cases in New York State are persons of color.

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