Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Testified before Rep. Henry Waxman’s House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in Rayburn House Building Room 2154. Topic = HIV prevention in light of the new numbers from CDC showing that the incidence in USA of HIV is worse than was previously calculated – 56, 300 versus 40,000. Other main witness was Julie Gerberding with Kevin Fenton of CDC and Tom Insel of NIH as backups. Hearing went very well – generally friendly. Maxine Waters gave Julie Gerberding a hard time about not acting with leadership in a “crisis”. I stated that needle-exchange works and that abstinence only does not work. This may upset some ideologues in HHS or the WH. Mild Fall day – slightly cloudy. Sept. 23-30, 2008 – Major crisis on Wall Street and in the banking industry with big banks and financial institutions failing – Lehman Brothers (Bankrupt), Fannie Mae and Freddie Mack taken over by the government, AIG bailed out by the government; many buyouts and mergers, stock market plunged by 777 points in 1 day – largest drop ever. Congress trying to agree on a $700 Billion bailout package for financial institutions to restore the credit flow in the USA. Big problems!!