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The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. CUMMINGS) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to discuss one of the most challenging and life-threatening public health issues facing the global community, HIV infection and AIDS. I will also highlight significant actions our government and fellow Americans have taken to combat this threat.
HIV/AIDS is now the world's deadliest disease with more than 40 million persons infected worldwide. Not surprisingly, the pandemic affects the most vulnerable citizens of our global community. In fact, nearly 95 percent of infected persons live in the developing countries, with sub-Saharan Africa being the hardest hit of any other region in the world.
The statistics are startling. New HIV infections in Africa have numbered more than 1.4 million each year since 1991. That is an average of more than 3,800 new HIV/AIDS infections per day. Nearly 6,000 will die within this same time frame. Mr. Speaker, 23.3 million adults and children are infected with the HIV virus in the region, which has about 10 percent of the world's population, but nearly 70 percent of the worldwide total of infected people.
Life expectancy in these nations has been reduced by the disease to between 22 and 40 years. Some sub-Saharan African countries could lose as much as a third of their adult population by 2010, and 16 African countries have an HIV infection rate of more than 10 percent. South Africa is 20 percent, Zimbabwe and Swaziland are at 25 percent; and in Botswana, which has the highest infection rate in the region, 36 percent of adults are HIV infected.
When I hear these daunting statistics, I am reminded of a quote by John F. Kennedy. He said, ``Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind.'' HIV/AIDS and its death toll have declared war on our humanity. We must fight back. All sectors and all spheres of society have to be involved as equal partners in fighting this assault. The health sector cannot meet this challenge on its own, nor can one government or nation. It is imperative that we have a collective global effort.
Although I do believe we can do more, I am proud to say that the executive and legislative branches of our government, as well as the private sector, have taken significant steps in that direction. Earlier this month, the U.S. Export-Import Bank extended up to $1 billion in financing to 24 sub-Saharan African countries to buy anti-AIDS drugs. The financing will be combined with a $500 million commitment from the World Bank to help these countries purchase reduced-priced drugs, buy medical equipment, and develop specialized health services.
More recently, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. LEE), along with the gentlewoman from California (Ms. WATERS), the gentleman from Florida (Mr. HASTINGS), and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. JACKSON), and the Congressional Black Caucus successfully offered an amendment adding $42 million to the Infectious Disease Account for international HIV/AIDS funding in the House-passed version of the fiscal year 2001 Foreign Operations Appropriations Act. The amendment increased this important funding for HIV/AIDS to the President's original budget request of $244 million, which is $190 million over current-year funding.
Additionally, during the 13th International Annual AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa this month, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced a round of grants amounting to $100 million to prevent AIDS in mothers and children, assist AIDS orphans, and relieve suffering in dying patients. Of this funding, a $50 million grant will go to Botswana, the country in sub-Sahara with the highest HIV infection rate. That will be matched mostly through drug donations by the U.S. Merck Pharmaceutical Corporation.
When the history of this war is written, it will record the collective efforts of societies. Future generations will judge us on the adequacy of our response. I commend the Ex-Im Bank, my colleagues in this House, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for their compassion and foresight in addressing this issue.
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