Norton, Lee, Other Members Tested For HIV

By Robert "Rob" Redding Jr.

Publisher

June 26, 2007, 5 p.m. - Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, Rep. Barbara Lee and other members of Congress today were tested for HIV/AIDS, following a news conference to highlight the fight against the disease in the nation's capitol.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States today is as high as 1,200,000, with more than 25 percent of those who are infected are not aware of it. An estimated 1 in 20 people living in the District of Columbia are infected, according to the CDC.

"Here in Congress, we have an obligation to lead by example in fighting this disease," said Lee, a California Democrat. "Whether it's by directing funds specifically to minority communities through the Minority AIDS Initiative, supporting the deployment of rapid testing, or even something as basic as getting tested ourselves, all of us have the ability to make a difference when it comes to battling this disease."

Norton, a nonvoting District Democrat, and others agreed.

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Increasing the availability of HIV tests, especially rapid tests kits, and encouraging individuals to seek out voluntary counseling and testing can make a significant difference in reducing the spread of HIV, Lee said. Unfortunately, barriers to testing still exist, most significantly, the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS and the anxiety involving the test itself.

In order to combat both these barriers, the National Association of People with AIDS, in conjunction with the CDC, produces National HIV Testing Day, an annual campaign that culminates on June 27th. This year's theme is "Take the test, take control," emphasizing the fact that just getting tested can produce behavioral change regardless of the diagnosis.

For more information on National HIV Testing Day, or to find a testing site in your district, visit the CDC's website at: http://hivtest.org/.

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