Norton to Speak at Walk to End HIV, Saturday

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will speak at the District of Columbia Annual Walk to End HIV, which begins at Freedom Plaza, this Saturday, October 26th, at 8:15 a.m. Confronting HIV/AIDS has been a major Norton priority in Congress. House Republicans tried often and failed to reimpose a rider banning D.C. from spending its own local funds on needle-exchange programs after Norton got it removed more than 10 years ago. The needle-exchange rider was attached to the D.C. Appropriations bill for a decade and was responsible for the District's distinction as the jurisdiction with one of the highest HIV/AIDS rates in the United States. Since its removal, there has been a significant reduction in injection-related HIV cases. Norton also recently secured in the House-passed fiscal year 2020 D.C. Appropriations bill an extra $5 million to combat HIV/AIDS in the District, an increase of $2 million from the enacted FY 19 level.

"The District has come a long way since I got the deadly needle-exchange rider removed, significantly reducing the HIV/AIDS rate in the city," Norton said. "However, our residents remain an at-risk population. If we are serious about continuing to reduce the HIV epidemic here, D.C. residents should be tested both for themselves and as an example for their children and neighbors."

Media attending may RSVP to jack.miller@mail.house.gov.

WHAT: Congresswoman Norton speaks at the D.C. Walk to End HIV

WHEN: Saturday, October 26th at 8:15 AM

WHERE: Freedom Plaza, 1455 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC