For Immediate Release March 14, 2012

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following statement on the announcement of Dr. Grant Colfax as the new Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy:

“I look forward to working with Dr. Grant Colfax, the new Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) to implement the National HIV/AIDS Strategy. 

“As the Director of HIV Prevention and Research at the San Francisco Department of Public Health, Dr. Colfax brings more than 20 years of experience in HIV medicine, research and healthcare policy to the White House.   I am hopeful that further progress can be made in reducing the number of new HIV infections across the United States and improving health outcomes for those living with HIV and AIDS. 

“While we have made tremendous strides over the past thirty years, HIV remains a crisis in our communities – threatening the well-being of our neighborhoods, the health of our families, and the lives of our brothers and sisters.  However, at this moment of time, an extraordinary opportunity is in front of us.  Scientific discovery has brought new powerful tools and created a renewed momentum to do what it takes to bring AIDS to an end.

“This summer, the United States will host the International AIDS Conference for the first time in 20 years – a remarkable opportunity to take aggressive steps to fight the domestic epidemic and partner with countries in this global fight.” 

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Follow Barbara Lee on Twitter @RepBarbaraLee

H.R. 3053– REPEAL Act (Lee)
The REPEAL Act would provide states with incentives and support to reform outdated criminal laws that target people living with HIV.

H.R. 3324– Real Education for Healthy Youth Act (Lee)

The Real Education for Healthy Youth Act would help schools implement and expand age-appropriate sex education programs that are medically accurate and evidence based; train teachers and educators to effectively educate teenagers in order to reduce unintended pregnancy and the transmission of STDs; and expand sex education programs at colleges and universities.

Congresswoman Lee has been a leader in the fight against the global HIV/AIDS pandemic. She co-authored legislation signed into law creating the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria in 2000, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in 2003, the PEPFAR Reauthorization Act in 2008, and in 2005 legislation addressing the needs of orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS.  She has also been a leader in the effort to establish a National AIDS Strategy, and is a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, Human Services & Education with jurisdiction over all domestic HIV/AIDS funding.  She is the only United States representative on United Nations Development Programme’s Global Commission on HIV and the Law and was the original sponsor of legislation that lead to the repeal of the Immigration and Travel ban that barred the entry of HIV positive individuals. The repeal allowed the International AIDS conference - scheduled for July 2012 in Washington DC - to be held in the U.S. after 20 years.