22 years ago the US government enacted a travel ban that prohibited any person who had HIV/AIDS from entering the US. In 1987, under direction of the Regan administration, the Public Health Service listed HIV as a “dangerous and contagious” disease, preventing anyone with it from entering the country, including refugees seeking asylum. The ban was codified into law in 1993 under Clinton. In 2008 Bush signed a five-year, 48 billion dollar bill to fight AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis around the world which was intended to also end the ban, but the ban was never actually lifted. Visit AIDS.org for a more detailed history.
Today the news hit that the ban has been lifted by the Obama administration, and, the first HIV positive passenger entered the US freely and safely. It has also been announced that the 2012 World Aids Conference would be held in Washington.
x-posted AmplifyYourVoice.org