Stop AIDS in Prison Act

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Maxine Waters (D CA) sent a letter, Monday, to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, urging them to pass H.R. 1943, the Stop AIDS in Prison Act, before Congress adjourns. The Stop AIDS in Prison Act was passed by the House of Representatives last year by voice vote under suspension of the rules. The bill was then referred to the Senate where it remains pending in the Judiciary Committee.
“The Stop AIDS in Prison Act is a bold step to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS in our nation’s prisons and to prevent inmates from infecting other persons in the community following their release from prison,” said Congresswoman Waters.
The Congresswoman’s letter was signed by Rep. John Conyers, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee; Rep. Lamar S. Smith, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee; Rep. Robert C. Scott, Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, which has jurisdiction over federal prisons; and Rep. Randy Forbes, former Ranking Member of that subcommittee.
The Stop AIDS in Prison Act requires the Federal Bureau of Prisons to develop a comprehensive policy to provide HIV testing, treatment and prevention for inmates in Federal prisons. This bill requires the Bureau of Prisons to test all Federal prison inmates for HIV upon entering prison and again prior to release from prison, unless the inmate opts out of taking the test. The bill also requires HIV/AIDS prevention education for all inmates and comprehensive treatment for those inmates who test positive.
“AIDS is spreading in our nation’s jails and prisons. In 2005, the Department of Justice reported that the rate of confirmed AIDS cases in prisons was three times higher than in the general population. We need to take the threat of HIV/AIDS seriously and confront it in every institution of our society. That includes our nation’s prison system,” said the Congresswoman.