President Clinton signed legislation October 19 to reauthorize the Ryan White CARE Act. The measure, the "Ryan White CARE Act Amendments of 2000 (S. 2311) reauthorizes and expands health care and support services. The bill passed the House and Senate with some significant revisions while it reauthorizes AIDS treatment and prevention funding through FY 2005. It also changes the formula for distributing federal money to cities and states to include the HIV infection cases and AIDS cases. This new formula will go into effect (FY 2005) after the Department of Health and Human Services issues a report determining that data from cities and states on HIV infection cases is accurate.

In addition to making several steps toward expanding the scope of services to minorities, women and youth, the final bill also contains new grant programs including $30 million to states for partner notification, counseling, and referral services. The earlier House version contained grants to states that have mandatory HIV testing of newborns, but the final agreement allows for states with significant declines in perinatal HIV transmission cases to also be eligible for the grants. The final agreement also limits the maximum cuts ("hold harmless") allowed for a city or jurisdiction to no more than 15% over five years after the funding formula shift while a state could lose no more than 1% per year or 5% over five years.

The Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Relief Emergency (CARE) Act, enacted in 1990 and first reauthorized in 1996, provides funds to state and local governments to support care and treatment for the thousands of Americans living with HIV/AIDS.