19 USC § 3739 - Sense of the Congress relating to HIV/AIDS crisis in sub-Saharan Africa

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t19/s3739"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "19 USC § 3739 - Sense of the Congress relating to HIV/AIDS crisis in sub-Saharan Africa"
title_number: 19
title_name: "CUSTOMS DUTIES"
section_number: "3739"
section_name: "Sense of the Congress relating to HIV/AIDS crisis in sub-Saharan Africa"
chapter_number: 23
chapter_name: "EXTENSION OF CERTAIN TRADE BENEFITS TO SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA"
subchapter_number: "III"
subchapter_name: "ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RELATED ISSUES"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 106–200, title I, § 129, May 18, 2000, 114 Stat. 273.)"
---


# § 3739. Sense of the Congress relating to HIV/AIDS crisis in sub-Saharan Africa

**(a)** **Findings** The Congress finds the following:

**(1)** Sustained economic development in sub-Saharan Africa depends in large measure upon successful trade with and foreign assistance to the countries of sub-Saharan Africa.

**(2)** The HIV/AIDS crisis has reached epidemic proportions in sub-Saharan Africa, where more than 21,000,000 men, women, and children are infected with HIV.

**(3)** Eighty-three percent of the estimated 11,700,000 deaths from HIV/AIDS worldwide have been in sub-Saharan Africa.

**(4)** The HIV/AIDS crisis in sub-Saharan Africa is weakening the structure of families and societies.

**(5)**

**(A)** The HIV/AIDS crisis threatens the future of the workforce in sub-Saharan Africa.

**(B)** Studies show that HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa most severely affects individuals between the ages of 15 and 49—the age group that provides the most support for the economies of sub-Saharan African countries.

**(6)** Clear evidence demonstrates that HIV/AIDS is destructive to the economies of sub-Saharan African countries.

**(7)** Sustained economic development is critical to creating the public and private sector resources in sub-Saharan Africa necessary to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

**(b)** **Sense of the Congress** It is the sense of the Congress that—

**(1)** addressing the HIV/AIDS crisis in sub-Saharan Africa should be a central component of United States foreign policy with respect to sub-Saharan Africa;

**(2)** significant progress needs to be made in preventing and treating HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa in order to sustain a mutually beneficial trade relationship between the United States and sub-Saharan African countries; and

**(3)** the HIV/AIDS crisis in sub-Saharan Africa is a global threat that merits further attention through greatly expanded public, private, and joint public-private efforts, and through appropriate United States legislation.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 106–200, title I, § 129, May 18, 2000, 114 Stat. 273.)