119-hres693

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 693 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
H. RES. 693

 Expressing support for the designation of September 9 as ``National 
African Immigrant and Refugee HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis Awareness Day'' or 
 ``NAIRHHA Day''.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 September 10, 2025

 Mr. Johnson of Georgia (for himself and Ms. Velazquez) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
 Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

 RESOLUTION

 Expressing support for the designation of September 9 as ``National 
African Immigrant and Refugee HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis Awareness Day'' or 
 ``NAIRHHA Day''.

Whereas, between 1980 and 2019, the number of African immigrants in the United 
 States increased nearly sixteenfold, a growth that roughly equates to a 
 1,500 percent increase, far surpassing earlier estimates of 500 percent;
Whereas, from 2000 to 2019 alone, the African immigrant population grew by 
 approximately 246 percent, rising from around 600,000 to 2,000,000, 
 making African immigrants the fastest-growing group among Black 
 immigrants in the United States, and their numbers are expected to 
 continue rising significantly in the coming decades;
Whereas HIV infection rates are 6 times higher in the African immigrant 
 population than in the general United States population and are nearly 
 twice those of United States-born Black individuals;
Whereas, despite PrEP's proven effectiveness in preventing HIV transmission, 
 fewer than 30 percent of African immigrants are aware of preexposure 
 prophylaxis

    (PrEP) , and less than 5 percent have reported prior use, 
 reflecting a critical gap in prevention outreach, education, and 
 culturally responsive services;
Whereas African immigrants face the highest average chronic hepatitis B rates in 
 the country, with approximately 10 percent of these communities living 
 with hepatitis B;
Whereas HIV and hepatitis B and C are preventable and treatable conditions, with 
 appropriate attention and focus, health outcomes among African immigrant 
 communities can be improved and lives can be saved;
Whereas the CDC recommends that individuals born in Africa, or individuals born 
 in the United States who have at least 1 parent born in Africa, who were 
 not vaccinated at birth, should be prioritized for hepatitis B testing;
Whereas African immigrant communities face significant challenges to HIV and 
 viral hepatitis testing, care, and treatment;
Whereas, though they have high rates of infection, they have low rates of 
 diagnosis and care;
Whereas challenges include stigma, fear, lack of awareness and knowledge, 
 language barriers, traditional values and social norms, and limited 
 access to health care services;
Whereas there also exists a need for providers and services to be culturally and 
 linguistically appropriate to better meet the needs of African 
 immigrants, in keeping with the National Standards for Culturally and 
 Linguistically Appropriate Services

    (CLAS) in Health and Health Care, 
 which describe a framework to deliver services that are culturally and 
 linguistically appropriate and respectful, and that respond to patients' 
 cultural health beliefs, preferences, and communication needs;
Whereas immigration status is also associated with fear of health facilities, 
 low acculturation and unfamiliarity navigating complex health care 
 systems, social and economic marginalization, fear of deportation, and a 
 lower rate of health insurance, all posing considerable barriers to the 
 health of African immigrants and refugees living in the United States;
Whereas NAIRHHA Day is a day aimed toward bringing local and national attention 
 to the health issues of HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis in African 
 immigrant and refugee populations in the United States, in a way that is 
 culturally and linguistically appropriate;
Whereas, by addressing some of the unique issues that African immigrants in the 
 United States face through awareness, education, and resources, NAIRHHA 
 Day will help empower communities to take charge of their own health;
Whereas the objectives of NAIRHHA Day include--

    (1) raising awareness and eliminating stigma;

    (2) education about protection against HIV, viral hepatitis and other 
related diseases, placing control back within the community by encouraging 
screenings and treatment, as well as hepatitis B vaccination; and

    (3) advocating for policies and practices that promote healthy African 
immigrant communities, families, and individuals;

Whereas no existing HIV/AIDS awareness day addresses the distinct factors 
 influencing the high rates of HIV and viral hepatitis in African 
 immigrants and refugees, groups which are often overlooked or 
 misclassified as ``Black'' or ``African American'' in HIV surveillance 
 programs, due to not collecting or reporting on information about 
 country of origin;
Whereas, with the rapid population rise of African immigrants in the United 
 States, it is critical to raise awareness among health care and social 
 service providers and among African immigrant and refugee communities 
 about the risk of viral hepatitis and HIV/AIDS, their potential 
 consequences, and opportunities for prevention, diagnosis, and 
 treatment;
Whereas, as African immigrants become long-term United States residents, it will 
 be increasingly important to provide screening, prevention, and 
 treatment of chronic and infectious diseases with a culturally sensitive 
 approach;
Whereas building capacity within communities to promote knowledge, treatment and 
 prevention of HIV and viral hepatitis contributes greatly to the 
 sustainability of the NAIRHHA Day initiative, for as communities 
 increase their capacity to respond to the ``silent epidemics'' of HIV 
 and viral hepatitis, they will develop their own resources to continue 
 this work;
Whereas, by encouraging more people to get tested and seek treatment, NAIRHHA 
 Day is aiding those who suffer now and preventing others from 
 contracting these transmissible diseases; and
Whereas, by trying to lessen, if not remove, the stigma behind HIV/AIDS and 
 viral hepatitis, NAIRHHA Day is facilitating community building and 
 communication: Now, therefore, be it
 Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

    (1) supports the designation of ``National African 
 Immigrant and Refugee HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis Awareness Day'';

    (2) recognizes the importance of dedicating more attention 
 and resources to addressing HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis in 
 African immigrant and refugee communities across the United 
 States; and

    (3) encourages a commitment to reducing new viral hepatitis 
 and HIV infections and hepatitis B and C- and HIV-related 
 deaths through more robust screening, vaccination, and linkage 
 to treatment and care in African immigrant and refugee 
 communities.
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