For Immediate Release                                                 Contact: Erica Daughtrey

October 21, 2009                                                                                201-222-2828

Washington, D.C.- Today, Congressman Sires joined an overwhelming majority of his colleagues in passing S.1793, the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act, by a vote of 408 to 9.  This bill would reauthorize the Ryan White Program for the next four years, which would have otherwise expired at the end of the month.

“Over the past two decades the Ryan White Program has proven to be a critical program, serving people with HIV and AIDS in New Jersey.  Today, the program provides care, treatment and support services to nearly half a million people nationwide- many of which are low-income- whom without this critical safety net,  would not receive the care and treatment they need and deserve,” stated Congressman Sires.

Specifically, this bill would increase the authorization level for each part of the Ryan White program by five percent a year for the next four years, including such programs as the Comprehensive Care Program, Early Intervention Program, and Minority AIDS Initiative.  The Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act, which created the Ryan White Program, was initially enacted in August 1990 and has been reauthorized three times since, most recently in 2006.

“In coordination with modern medical advancements, the extension of the Ryan White Program will make it possible for the approximately 1.1 million individuals living with HIV/AIDS continue to live a long and active life,” expressed Congressman Sires.

S. 1793 is now awaiting the President’s signature to become law.

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