Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) introduced H.Res. 1039 on February 6, formally recognizing National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day and pressing federal, state and local leaders to do more on prevention, testing, treatment and equity. The resolution frames long-standing racial disparities in HIV outcomes as a solvable problem: it calls for targeted funding, stronger data, and greater support for community-led organizations that reach people most affected.
What the resolution says, up front
– H.Res. 1039 urges renewed federal attention to Black communities disproportionately affected by HIV and asks agencies and grantees to prioritize culturally competent prevention and care.
– It recommends expanding access to PrEP, improving testing and linkage to care, strengthening surveillance with disaggregated data, and directing Minority AIDS Initiative resources toward minority-led providers.
– The resolution endorses National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day as a moment to highlight these gaps and spur action.
The numbers the resolution cites
– Drawing on KFF data cited in the text, the resolution notes that Black people account for roughly 39% of new HIV diagnoses, about 40% of people living with HIV, and about 43% of deaths among people with HIV—despite representing roughly 12% of the U.S. population.
– Within those figures, the resolution highlights specific disparities: Black women represent about half of new HIV diagnoses among women, and Black gay and bisexual men make up nearly half of Black people living with HIV (and roughly 30% of all gay and bisexual men with HIV).
– Those gaps translate into greater illness, higher lifetime treatment costs, and lost economic opportunity for individuals and communities.
Why the focus on minority-led organizations?
– The resolution argues that community-rooted, minority-led groups are often more trusted and more effective at reaching people who face stigma, discrimination or barriers to care.
– It asks the Department of Health and Human Services to prioritize Minority AIDS Initiative grants for organizations led by African American/Black, Latino, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander leaders—and to pair grant awards with technical assistance so small groups can scale up while meeting reporting and compliance requirements.
Policy requests and funding priorities
– The measure urges expanded PrEP access, Medicaid expansion in states that have not adopted it, workforce training for culturally competent care, and funding for integrated services (housing, transportation, and other social supports that affect health).
– It calls for better surveillance—more granular data by race, gender and sexual orientation—to track progress on testing, retention and viral suppression.
– Importantly, the resolution ties these program priorities to the need for concrete appropriations and measurable benchmarks; without funding and clear targets, advocates warn the language would remain aspirational.
Who’s backing the resolution
– H.Res. 1039 has bipartisan co-sponsors (29 members at the time of referral) and was sent to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce for review.
– It has drawn endorsements from national and local groups including AIDS Foundation Chicago, AIDS United, the AMAAD Institute, LA Pride, NAESM Inc., NMAC and PFLAG National, among others.
Practical implications for providers and communities
– If grant criteria shift toward minority-led providers, local clinics and nonprofits in high-burden areas could gain new resources—and face new expectations for scaling services and meeting reporting standards.
– Small, community-based organizations often operate on thin margins; the resolution recognizes that funding increases should be coupled with capacity building, administrative support and predictable multi-year commitments.
– Public health departments and larger health systems may be asked to partner with community groups to expand outreach, testing and linkage to care.
What to watch next
– The resolution itself does not authorize new spending; its impact will depend on committee action, appropriations decisions and any administrative guidance from HHS.
– Key near-term markers: hearings or markup in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, HHS guidance on Minority AIDS Initiative grant priorities, and whether appropriators include targeted language or funding in upcoming bills.
– Advocates say that measurable targets for testing, timely linkage to care and viral suppression—and the budget to achieve them—are essential if the resolution’s goals are to produce real change.
Why this matters
H.Res. 1039 reframes well-documented health disparities as issues of policy design and resource allocation rather than inevitability. By centering community leadership, data, and concrete program goals alongside the observance of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, the resolution aims to move from awareness toward accountable action—if Congress and agencies follow with funding and implementation.