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ACROSS THE EARTH AMERICA IS
FEEDING THE HUNGRY.
MORE THAN 60% OF INTERNATIONAL
FOOD AID COMES AS A GIFT FROM
THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED
STATES.
AS OUR NATION MOVES TROOPS AND
BUILDS ALLIANCES TO MAKE OUR
WORLD SAFER, WE MUST ALSO
REMEMBER OUR CALLING AS A
BLESSED COUNTRY IS TO MAKE THE
WORLD BETTER.
TODAY, ON THE CONTINENT OF
AFRICA NEARLY 30 MILLION PEOPLE
HAVE THE AIDS VIRUS.
INCLUDING THREE MILLION
CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 15.
THERE ARE WHOLE COUNTRIES IN
AFRICA WHERE MORE THAN 1/3 OF
THE ADULT POPULATION CARRIES
THE INFECTION.
MORE THAN FOUR MILLION REQUIRE
IMMEDIATE DRUG TREATMENT.
YET ACROSS THAT CONTINENT ONLY
50,000 AIDS VICTIMS, ONLY
50,000 ARE RECEIVING THE
MEDICINE THEY NEED.
BECAUSE THE AIDS DIAGNOSIS IS
CONSIDERED A DEATH SENTENCE,
MANY DO NOT SEEK TREATMENT.
ALMOST ALL WHO DO ARE TURNED
AWAY.
A DOCTOR IN RURAL SOUTH AFRICA
DESCRIBES HIS FRUSTRATION, HE
SAYS WE HAVE NO MEDICINES.
MANY HOSPITALS TELL PEOPLE
YOU'VE GOT AIDS, WE CAN'T HELP
YOU.
GO HOME AND DIE.

IN AN AGE OF MIRACULOUS
MEDICINES, NO PERSON SHOULD
HAVE TO HEAR THOSE WORDS.
AIDS CAN BE PREVENTED,
ANTI-RETRO-VIRAL DRUGS CAN
EXTEND LIFE FOR MANY YEARS, AND
THE COST OF THOSE RUGS HAS
DROPPED FROM $12,000 A YEAR TO
UNDER $300 A YEAR.
WHICH PLACES A TREMENDOUS
POSSIBILITY WITHIN OUR GRASP.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, SELDOM
HAS HISTORY OFFERED A GREATER
OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO MUCH FOR
SO MANY.
WE HAVE CONFRONTED AND WILL
CONTINUE TO CONFRONT HIV-AIDS
IN OUR OWN COUNTRY AND MEET A
SEE VER AND URGENT CRISIS
ABROAD, TONIGHT I PROPOSE AN
EMERGENCY PLAN FOR AIDS RELIEF,
A WORK OF MERCY BEYOND ALL
CURRENT INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS
TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF AFRICA.
THIS COMPREFF -- COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN WILL PREVENT SEVEN MILLION
NEW AIDS INFECTIONS.
TREAT AT LEAST TWO MILLION
PEOPLE WITH LIFE-EXTENDING
DRUGS, AND PROVIDE HUMANE CARE
FOR MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
SUFFERING FROM AIDS AND FOR
CHILDREN ORR FANNED -- ORPHANED
BY AIDS.
I ASK THE CONGRESS TO COMMIT
$15 BILLION OVER THE NEXT FIVE
YEARS, INCLUDING NEARLY $10
BILLION IN NEW MONEY, TO TURN
THE TIDE AGAINST AIDS IN THE
MOST AFFLICTED NATIONS OF
AFRICA AND THE CARIBBEAN.
THIS NATION CAN LEAD THE WORLD
IN SPARING INNOCENT PEOPLE FROM
A PLAGUE OF NATURE, AND THIS
NATION IS LEADING THE WORLD IN
CONFRONTING AND DEFEATING THE
MANMADE EVIL OF INTERNATIONAL
TERRORISM.