; Whereas the CDC reports that over 35,000 people were diagnosed with HIV in the United States in 2021, and 13 percent of the 1,200,000 people in the United States living with HIV are not aware of their HIV status; Whereas the CDC has found that men who have sex with men, particularly young Black Americans and Hispanics, are the population most affected by HIV in the United States; Whereas southern areas of the United States bear the greatest burden of HIV, accounting for 52 percent of new infections in 2021; Whereas globally transgender feminine individuals are 66 times more likely and transgender masculine individuals are 6.8 times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV compared to the general adult population; Whereas one in two people living with HIV in the United States is over 50; Whereas people living with HIV are frequently susceptible to other infections, such as hepatitis B and C and tuberculosis; Whereas the opioid and heroin epidemics have led to increased numbers of new HIV transmissions among people who inject drugs, and the crisis has disproportionately affected nonurban areas, where HIV prevalence rates have been low historically and there are limited services for HIV prevention, treatment, and substance use disorder treatment; Whereas December 1 of each year is internationally recognized as World AIDS Day ; Whereas 2023 marked the 20th anniversary of the PEPFAR program, an initiative launched by President George W. Bush with bipartisan support that has become the primary policy instrument of the United States to address HIV/AIDS globally; and Whereas, in 2023, commemorations for World AIDS Day recognize the essential role of communities in the global HIV/AIDS response: Now, therefore, be it