Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006

DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2006 -- (House of Representatives - June 23, 2005)

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Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, H.R. 3010 falls far short of helping rectify many of the problems facing our Nation's and specifically, my constituents' healthcare needs. There are a number of areas of this appropriations bill that will have a significant impact on the future of healthcare delivery for the underserved communities of this country. As the number of uninsured and underinsured continues to rise, the government programs which act as a safety net continue to be challenged to provide more care with less funding. While the President and his administration support the funding of Community Health Centers, CHCs, the implication of the funding shortfall with regards to the training of health care professionals is that there will be a lack of future physicians and health care providers to staff these very centers.

Specifically, three HHS programs targeting underrepresented minorities in the healthcare professions have been completely eliminated by this bill with no explanation from the committee. This evisceration totals $158 million that would otherwise directly lead to underrepresented minorities entering healthcare professions and potentially serving the very communities they grew up in and are hurting the most from the lack of access. The ``Centers of Excellence'' program, which last year contributed $33.6 million to health professions schools with significant minority enrollment, will no longer exist under this appropriations bill. In my district, the University of Illinois at Chicago has benefited from this program and stands to lose necessary funding to train a greater number of minority students.

The ``Health Careers Opportunity Program,'' HCOP, is also effectively eliminated by the $35.7 million cut from last year's funding again with no explanation from the committee. This program strives to build diversity in the health professions by developing a more competitive applicant pool. The program provides students from disadvantaged backgrounds an opportunity to develop the skills needed to successfully compete for admission to and graduation from health professions schools.

Lastly, the ``Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry'' program is effectively eliminated by the $88.8 million cut, again with no explanation from the committee. The aim of this program is to improve access to quality health care through the appropriate preparation, composition and distribution of the health professions workforce. The program emphasizes diversity, distribution and the quality of the health professions workforce as a means of improving access to care. Grants for training in primary care medicine and dentistry support academic administrative units, residency training, pre-doctoral training, faculty development, physician assistants, and general and pediatrics dentistry program areas. Like the previous two programs eliminated, this program specifically aims at increasing underrepresented minorities in healthcare professions with a focus on meeting the increased demand for primary care physicians and health care providers.

Overall, these programs are vital to meeting the needs of underserved communities in my district as well as those all around America. Eliminating their funding will create more holes in an already fragmented and fractured healthcare system. As the number of uninsured and underinsured Americans continues to rise, a greater number of health professionals will be needed to meet their demands. Cutting funding that would increase the numbers of these health professionals is not in the best interest of our constituents that are in need of increased access, quality professionals, and overall better care.

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(Mr. DAVIS of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, recognizing the fact that serious disparities continue to exist for African Americans in practically all aspects of life, the Congressional Black Caucus has focused much of its attention this session on closing these gaps and reducing those disparities.

Unfortunately, this budget, this appropriation in many ways dashed the hopes of those who had thought and hoped that maybe it would provide some help. Instead, it cuts at the heart of many of these programs and areas of concentration, which are absolutely essential if we are to reduce these gaps. This budget cuts job training, job development programs, health services, education.

We reduce educational opportunities and cut funds for prisoner reentry and successful reintegration of these individuals back into normal life as self-sufficient and contributing members of society.

I would hope, I would urge, I would implore, I would importune conferees that as you go to conference, please look seriously at putting money back into reentry programs so that these individuals, both juveniles and adults, can lead happy, productive, contributing lives; and let the 630,000 individuals who come home from prison each year have some help to become productive citizens.

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