For Immediate Release: 
February 6, 2026

[email protected] 

Congresswoman Waters Introduces Resolution to Honor National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43), Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee and a congressional leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS, introduced H.Res.1039 in honor of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, which is observed every year on February 7. Her resolution is cosponsored by 29 of her congressional colleagues and endorsed by several HIV/AIDS advocacy organizations. 

Congresswoman Waters has been spearheading initiatives to increase HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention, screening, and treatment since the 1980s. In 1998, she worked with the Clinton administration to establish the Minority AIDS Initiative, which significantly expanded HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment efforts for minority communities that are disproportionately impacted by HIV. Because of her advocacy, the funding for this initiative has increased from the initial appropriation of $156 million in Fiscal Year 1999 to more than $400 million per year today. Last year, she introduced the HIV Prevention Now Act (H.R. 5126), to provide robust appropriations for prevention efforts, and the PrEP and PEP are Prevention Act (H.R. 5127), to require health insurance plans to cover Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) as preventive services. 

“National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is a day set aside to increase HIV awareness and enhance prevention, testing and treatment among African Americans,” said Congresswoman Waters. “It is a day to commemorate the impact of HIV/AIDS on Black Americans and encourage continued efforts to reduce the incidence of HIV, eliminate health disparities, improve access to care and treatment, and show support for all those who are living with HIV/AIDS.”

Black Americans continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. While Black Americans represent only 12 percent of America’s population, they account for 39 percent of new HIV diagnoses, 40 percent of people living with HIV/AIDS, and 43 percent of deaths among people with HIV/AIDS.[1] Furthermore, Black women account for about half of new HIV diagnoses among women, and Black young people account for about half of new HIV diagnoses among young people ages 13 to 24. [2] The rate of new HIV diagnoses among Black Americans is about 8 times that of whites.[3]

“On National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, we must recommit our nation to eliminate health disparities, promote HIV prevention, testing and treatment throughout the United States, and end the HIV/AIDS epidemic once and for all,” said Congresswoman Waters. 

Congresswoman Waters’ resolution in honor of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is endorsed by AIDS Foundation Chicago, AIDS United, AMAAD Institute (Arming Minorities Against Addiction and Disease), LA Pride, NAESM Inc., NMAC (formerly the National Minority AIDS Council), and PFLAG National.

Her resolution is cosponsored by Representatives Nanette Barrag?n (CA-44), Wesley Bell (MO-01), Andr? Carson (IN-07), Troy A. Carter Sr. (LA-02), Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-05), Steve Cohen (TN-9), Danny K. Davis (IL07), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-7), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Robin L. Kelly (IL-02), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Mark Takano (CA-39), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02),  Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12),  Nikema Williams (GA-05), and Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24).

###