22 U.S.C. § 7651 — Findings

submitted 23 years ago by Pub. L. 108-25 to r/title-22-FOREIGN-RELATIONS-AND-INTERCOURSE · 375 words · no verdicts yet

in plain englishAI-generated · not legal advice

Congress found that mother-to-child HIV transmission harms about 2,000 children a day worldwide, mostly in poor countries. It found this transmission is mostly preventable with the right drugs and care. It also found HIV/AIDS has orphaned millions of children and heavily affects young people ages 15 to 24.

Congress made these findings: (1) About 2,000 children worldwide are infected with HIV each day through mother-to-child transmission, which can happen during pregnancy, labor, delivery, or breastfeeding. Over 90% of these cases happen in developing countries with little or no public health care. (2) Mother-to-child transmission can largely be prevented with the right drugs, therapies, and other public health steps. (3) Certain antiretroviral drugs cut mother-to-child transmission by almost 50%. Making this drug available everywhere could prevent up to 400,000 infections a year and sharply cut AIDS deaths. (4) At a June 2001 UN Special Session on HIV/AIDS, the U.S. committed to specific goals, including cutting infant HIV infections by 20% by 2005 and by 50% by 2010, as set out in the UN's Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS. (5) Agencies like USAID and the CDC already run programs to prevent mother-to-child transmission in poor countries and can expand them quickly by working with foreign governments and nonprofits. (6) Preventing mother-to-child transmission can be the starting point for broader care and treatment of infected mothers, fathers, and other family members. (7) HIV/AIDS has devastated children and families worldwide. Since the epidemic began, an estimated 13,200,000 children under 15 have lost a mother or both parents to the disease. UNAIDS expects this number to double by 2010. (8) HIV/AIDS also heavily affects people ages 15 to 24, especially young women, many of whom care for family members with HIV/AIDS. About 10,300,000 young people now live with HIV/AIDS, and half of all new infections happen in this age group.

the actual law source: uscode.house.gov ↗public domain

Congress makes the following findings:

(1)

Approximately 2,000 children around the world are infected each day with HIV through mother-to-child transmission. Transmission can occur during pregnancy, labor, and delivery or through breast feeding. Over 90 percent of these cases are in developing nations with little or no access to public health facilities.

(2)

Mother-to-child transmission is largely preventable with the proper application of pharmaceuticals, therapies, and other public health interventions.

(3)

Certain antiretroviral drugs reduce mother-to-child transmission by nearly 50 percent. Universal availability of this drug could prevent up to 400,000 infections per year and dramatically reduce the number of AIDS-related deaths.

(4)

At the United Nations Special Session on HIV/AIDS in June 2001, the United States committed to the specific goals with respect to the prevention of mother-to-child transmission, including the goals of reducing the proportion of infants infected with HIV by 20 percent by the year 2005 and by 50 percent by the year 2010, as specified in the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS adopted by the United Nations General Assembly at the Special Session.

(5)

Several United States Government agencies including the United States Agency for International Development and the Centers for Disease Control are already supporting programs to prevent mother-to-child transmission in resource-poor nations and have the capacity to expand these programs rapidly by working closely with foreign governments and nongovernmental organizations.

(6)

Efforts to prevent mother-to-child transmission can provide the basis for a broader response that includes care and treatment of mothers, fathers, and other family members who are infected with HIV or living with AIDS.

(7)

HIV/AIDS has devastated the lives of countless children and families across the globe. Since the epidemic began, an estimated 13,200,000 children under the age of 15 have been orphaned by AIDS, that is they have lost their mother or both parents to the disease. The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) estimates that this number will double by the year 2010.

(8)

HIV/AIDS also targets young people between the ages of 15 to 24, particularly young women, many of whom carry the burden of caring for family members living with HIV/AIDS. An estimated 10,300,000 young people are now living with HIV/AIDS. One-half of all new infections are occurring among this age group.

Source credit: (Pub. L. 108–25, title III, § 311, May 27, 2003, 117 Stat. 740.)

history & why it existsrecord from the source credit

2003Enacted · Pub. L. 108-25 · 117 Stat. 740

A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by Pub. L. 108-25 on 2003-05-27.

all 0 arguments · sorted by: best

no arguments yet — make the first case