SUPPORT THE MINORITY AIDS INITIATIVE!

Please call or email your Representatives and ask them to join
Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA) and over 75 of her
colleagues in asking the Labor, Health and Human Services and
Education Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman and Ranking
Member to provide at least $610 million for the Minority AIDS
Inititative (MAI) for FY 2006.

May 6, 2005

SUPPORT THE MINORITY AIDS INITIATIVE!

Dear Colleague:

We are writing to ask you to join us in sending the attached
letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on
Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriatons
requesting an appropriation of $610 million for the Minority
AIDS Initiative in fiscal year 2006.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
racial and ethnic minorities represent more than 70% of new AIDS
cases in the United States. African-Americans account for 49% of
new AIDS cases, although only 13% of the population is black.
Hispanics account for 20% of new AIDS cases, although only 14%
of the population is Hispanic. Asian Americans/Pacific
Isalanders account for 1% of new AIDS cases, and American
Indians/Alaska Natives account for up to 1%. Clearly, racial and
ethnic minorities shoulder a disproportionate burden of HIV and
AIDS in the United States today.

These statistics demonstrate the tremendous importance of the
Minority AIDS Initiative. This critical intitiative provides
funds to community-based organizations, research institutions,
and minority-serving colleges and universities, health care
organizations, state and local health departments, and
correctional institutions to help them address the HIV/AIDS
epidemic within the minority populations they serve. Thus, it
enables organizations and providers to expand and strengthen
their capacity to deliver culturally appropriate care and
services. As a result, the MAI fills gaps in prevention,
treatment, infrastructure, outreach and education across
communities of color.

Please join us in supporting an appropriation of $610 million
for the Minority AIDS Inititative in fiscal year 2006. If you
would like to sign the letter, please contact Kathleen
Sengstrock of Representative Water's staff at (202) 225-2201.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\
----------

Dear Chairman Regula and Ranking Member Obey:

We are writing to request that you provide an appropriation of
$610 million for the Minority AIDS Inititative in the Labor,
Health and Human Services and Education Appriations bill for
fiscal year 2006.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
racial and ethnic minorities represent more than 70% of new AIDS
cases in the United States. African-Americans account for 49% of
new AIDS cases, although only 13% of the population is black.
Hispanics account for 20% of new AIDS cases, although only 14%
of the population is Hispanic. Asian Americans/Pacific
Isalanders account for 1% of new AIDS cases, and American
Indians/Alaska Natives account for up to 1%. Clearly, racial and
ethnic minorities shoulder a disproportionate burden of HIV and
AIDS in the United States today.

These statistics demonstrate the tremendous importance of the
Minority AIDS Initiative. This critical intitiative provides
funds to community-based organizations, research institutions,
and minority-serving colleges and universities, health care
organizations, state and local health departments, and
correctional institutions to help them address the HIV/AIDS
epidemic within the minority populations they serve. Thus, it
enables organizations and providers to expand and strengthen
their capacity to deliver culturally appropriate care and
services. As a result, the MAI fills gaps in prevention,
treatment, infrastructure, outreach and education across
communities of color.

We urge you to provide $610 million for the Minority AIDS
Initiative in fiscal year 2006. We thank you for your attention
to our concerns, and we look forward to working with you to
expand programs for the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS in
the United States.

Sincerely,

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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