WASHINGTON — The White House announced Tuesday that senior members of the Obama Administration will participate in the 19th annual International AIDS Conference this week, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
White House spokesperson Shin Inouye said that President Obama will not attend, but instead will provide a brief video message to welcome conference attendees from around the world to Washington.
Inouye added that the White House will also host a reception on July 26 to honor those people living with HIV, and to thank men and women who have been fighting with dignity on the frontlines against this disease.
“Under the president’s leadership, the administration has increased overall funding to combat HIV/AIDS to record levels. We have launched the first comprehensive National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States to prevent and treat HIV in America,” Inouye said.
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“Globally, the Obama Administration has committed to treating six million people by the end of 2013 and is increasing the impact and sustainability of our investments.”
The 19th International AIDS Conference will take place at the Washington Convention Center.
This will be the first time the U.S. hosts the event since 1990, due to a law restricting HIV-positive people entering the country. President Obama repealed the law in 2009.
Former U. S. President George W. Bush, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Ambassador Eric Goosby and the Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy Grant Colfax, will also attend scheduled conference events.
