AIDS United Celebrates the Life of Senator Frank Lautenberg

Sen. Frank Lautenberg

Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), an ally to the HIV community, passed away on June 3, 2013. Sen. Lautenberg, the only remaining World War II veteran in the Senate, was an original cosponsor of the Ryan White CARE Act in 1990 and continued to stand with the HIV community throughout his time in the Senate. He was a strong supporter of same-sex marriage, women's rights, reproductive freedom and comprehensive sexual education. Sen. Lautenberg was also a strong supporter of syringe exchange programs and served as Chair of the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee in 2007 when the ban on the use of federal funds for syringe exchange programs in Washington, D.C., was removed. The Senate has lost a great civil rights champion, but his legacy remains.