Donna M. Christensen :: Press Release :: Christensen Joins President for Ryan White Signing

Christensen Joins President for Ryan White Signing

October 30, 2009

Contact: Monique.Clendinen@mail.house.gov

Delegate to Congress Donna M. Christensen joined President Barack Obama and other Congressional leaders for the signing of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act on Friday morning. Congresswoman Christensen who is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health and the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust said that the four year reauthorization was important because it supports states and territories with their HIV/AIDS related programs, expanding access to early interventions, family centered care, support services for women, infants, children and youth with HIV/AIDS by providing grants to community clinics and non-profit entities that provide those services.

Congresswoman Christensen specifically worked to improve the Minority AIDS Initiative (MAI), which funds efforts to address the disproportionate impact of HIV/AIDS on racial and ethnic minorities to improve access, treatment, care and outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities living with HIV/AIDS. Through her leadership, Congresswoman Christensen helped ensure that the MAI funding was increased by 5 percent a year for the next four years and that the MAI funds would reach the minority community-based organizations it was originally created to help. “I want to thank my director of health policy, Britt Weinstock who did a lot of the heavy lifting to make this possible,” Congresswoman Christensen said.

“Communities of color, to include the U.S. Virgin Islands, account for a third of the total U.S. population, and more than 70 percent of new AIDS cases and 67% of people currently living with HIV/AIDS,” Congresswoman Christensen said. Other programs increased under Ryan White includes the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, the Emergency Relief, Comprehensive Care, Early Intervention, Pediatric AIDS, Name-Based Reporting, and the National Testing Goal.


	View all Press Releases Christensen Joins President for Ryan White Signing October 30, 2009 Contact: Monique.Clendinen@mail.house.gov Delegate to Congress Donna M. Christensen joined President Barack Obama and other Congressional leaders for the signing of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act on Friday morning. Congresswoman Christensen who is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health and the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust said that the four year reauthorization was important because it supports states and territories with their HIV/AIDS related programs, expanding access to early interventions, family centered care, support services for women, infants, children and youth with HIV/AIDS by providing grants to community clinics and non-profit entities that provide those services. Congresswoman Christensen specifically worked to improve the Minority AIDS Initiative (MAI), which funds efforts to address the disproportionate impact of HIV/AIDS on racial and ethnic minorities to improve access, treatment, care and outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities living with HIV/AIDS. Through her leadership, Congresswoman Christensen helped ensure that the MAI funding was increased by 5 percent a year for the next four years and that the MAI funds would reach the minority community-based organizations it was originally created to help. “I want to thank my director of health policy, Britt Weinstock who did a lot of the heavy lifting to make this possible,” Congresswoman Christensen said. “Communities of color, to include the U.S. Virgin Islands, account for a third of the total U.S. population, and more than 70 percent of new AIDS cases and 67% of people currently living with HIV/AIDS,” Congresswoman Christensen said. Other programs increased under Ryan White includes the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, the Emergency Relief, Comprehensive Care, Early Intervention, Pediatric AIDS, Name-Based Reporting, and the National Testing Goal.

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Christensen Joins President for Ryan White Signing