WASHINGTON, DC (August 4, 2008) – As the world convenes in Mexico City to address the global AIDS pandemic, new domestic HIV/AIDS data just released by the Centers for Disease Control make a compelling case that the Bush Administration and Congress need to focus on their own backyard. The CDC now estimates that 56,300 new infections occurred in the United States in 2006, a major increase over the previous estimate of 40,000.

“These new estimates show a steady rise in infections among men who have sex with men, African Americans, and young people ages 13 to 29. These statistics highlight an appalling lack of resources and concern on the part of our government” said Debra Hauser, executive vice president of Advocates for Youth.

The CDC report comes on the heels of the reauthorization of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) that included $48 billion internationally over five years. Twenty-two percent of this funding is dedicated to prevention compared to the current domestic HIV/AIDS budget that allocates only four percent for prevention programs. Since FY 2003, the U.S. government has continued to cut federal funding to local and state health departments for domestic HIV prevention.

The new data from the CDC shows the following:

• 34 percent of new infections are among people ages 13 to 29
• African Americans comprised 45 percent of new infections
• Male to male sexual contact accounted for 53 percent of HIV transmissions

“The new data should serve as a wake-up call to policy makers that not enough has been done to fight the domestic HIV/AIDS battle,” added Hauser. “It is time for a national AIDS strategy that focuses on prevention, treatment and care in America that takes into consideration those most impacted by the domestic epidemic.”

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Advocates for Youth is a national, nonprofit organization that creates programs and supports policies that help young people make safe, responsible decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.