“Today, millions of people around the globe will observe World AIDS Day to raise awareness of the disease, to mourn the loss of those who have suffered and died because of it, and to celebrate the progress we’ve made in understanding and treating it.
“HIV/AIDS affects us all, but the LGBT community, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and the economically disadvantaged remain disproportionately more likely to be affected by it. More than 1.2 million people in the U.S. are currently living with the disease, and 1 in 8 of those infected don’t know it. That’s why it’s so important to reduce the stigma associated with the disease, encourage more Americans to get tested, and to continue investing in the research that will someday lead to a cure.
“Thanks to President Obama’s leadership over the last eight years, we’ve made bold investments, developed revolutionary treatments, successfully prevented countless new infections, and extended life-saving health care to more Americans than ever before. In 2010, the Obama Administration became the first presidential administration to release a comprehensive strategy on HIV/AIDS. And thanks to the Affordable Care Act, millions of Americans have gained affordable health coverage without anyone being denied because of a pre-existing condition.
“Unfortunately, the ACA is under attack and now faces an uncertain future. Democrats urge the incoming administration to take seriously the grave harm and real human cost that would come with turning back the clock on access to care, not least of all for HIV/AIDS patients.
“As we remember the lives of those lost, let us recommit ourselves to making this terrible disease a distant memory and fight to ensure that access to health care will always be a right for all, not a privilege.”
