South Carolina General Assembly
112th Session, 1997-1998

Bill 5134


Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter


                    Current Status

Bill Number:                    5134
Type of Legislation:            Concurrent Resolution CR
Introducing Body:               House
Introduced Date:                19980512
Primary Sponsor:                T. Brown
All Sponsors:                   T. Brown, Lee, Canty, J. Brown,
                                Howard and Clyburn 
Drafted Document Number:        bbm\9899jm.98
Residing Body:                  House
Current Committee:              Invitations and Memorial
                                Resolutions Committee 24 HIMR
Subject:                        HIV virus, Congress requests state
                                of emergency for African-Americans
                                contracting; Medical, Communicable
                                diseases

History

Body    Date      Action Description                       Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  _______________________________________  _______ ____________

House   19980512  Introduced, referred to Committee        24 HIMR

View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.


(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

MEMORIALIZING CONGRESS AND PRESIDENT CLINTON TO DECLARE A STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATION OF THIS COUNTRY WITH REGARD TO CONTRACTING THE HIV VIRUS AND TO MAKE AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY THE NECESSARY RESOURCES TO TREAT THOSE WITH THE VIRUS AND TO COMBAT ITS FURTHER SPREAD.

Whereas, for African-American citizens of the United States, contracting the HIV virus, which can lead to monumental and costly suffering and painful death from AIDS, has reached epidemic proportions; and

Whereas, death from AIDS as a result of contracting the HIV virus has become the leading cause of death for African-Americans in the United States; and

Whereas, one of every fifty African-American males in this country has the HIV virus, as is true for one of every sixty African-American females; furthermore, of every seven American citizens who have the virus, three are African-American; and

Whereas, these are shocking statistics; the devastation being caused by this terrible situation cannot be allowed to continue; bold and immediate action must be taken by our leaders to combat this problem and to reverse the current trends, not only for African-Americans but also for other minorities in this country who have also been hit hard by HIV and AIDS and for all citizens of this land who are similarly suffering. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina, by this resolution, memorializes Congress and President Clinton to declare a state of emergency for the African-American population of this country with regard to contracting the HIV virus and to make available immediately the necessary resources to treat those with the virus and to combat its further spread.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to President Clinton, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the President of the United States Senate, and each member of the South Carolina Congressional Delegation, all at Washington, D.C.

-----XX-----