School-Based Health Centers Reauthorization Act of 2020

Floor Speech

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2075) to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize school-based health centers, and for other purposes, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 2075

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``School-Based Health Centers Reauthorization Act of 2020''. SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS.

(a) Elimination of Limitation on Eligibility of Health Centers.--

(1) Repeal.--Section 399Z-1(f)(3) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280h-5(f)(3)) is amended by striking subparagraph (B).

(2) Conforming change.--Section 399Z-1(f)(3) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280h-5(f)(3)) is amended by striking ``Limitations'' and all that follows through ``Any provider of services'' and inserting ``Limitation.--Any provider of services''.

(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 399Z-1(l) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280h-5(l)) is amended by striking ``2010 through 2014'' and inserting ``2021 through 2025''.

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Mr. PALLONE. 2075.

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2075, the School-Based Health Centers Reauthorization Act, which reauthorizes school-based health centers.

These centers serve as critical access points that provide comprehensive care to children and adolescents in their school, a location that is safe, convenient, and accessible. They provide this care through partnerships with community health providers, such as federally qualified health centers, public health departments, hospitals, schools, and other community institutions.

School-based health centers serve primarily low-income and medically underserved populations of children and adolescents. These centers, Madam Speaker, are a powerful tool for achieving health equity among children and adolescents who unjustly experience disparities in health outcomes because of ethnicity, race, or family income.

While many communities struggle with ways to keep students healthy, school-based health centers are more important than ever. H.R. 2075 would reauthorize school-based health centers through fiscal year 2024, ensuring continued access to these centers for the children and families who need them most.

I want to thank Representatives Sarbanes, Tonko, Upton, and Stefanik for their bipartisan leadership on this legislation.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes).

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, as the Founding Chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus and a senior member of the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2075, the ``School-Based Health Centers Reauthorization Act,'' which reauthorizes school-based health centers through Fiscal Year 2024 as well as make technical changes that allow more health centers, that serve medically underserved children and adolescents, to quality for funding.

First and foremost, I would like to thank Representatives Sarbanes, Tonko, Stefanik, and Upton for their leadership on this key piece of legislation.

In 2014, the authorization for school-based health centers lapsed.

By passing H.R. 2075, Congress would rectify this issue and help deliver primary care, including dental screenings and mental health services, to millions of American students.

These health centers are a powerful tool for achieving health equity among children and adolescents who unjustly experience disparities in outcomes because of their race and family income.

Improved access to school-based health centers is tied to reducing negative health outcomes, such as asthma morbidity and the rate of hospital admissions as well as increasing positive outcomes like educational outcomes, school performance, and graduation rates.

Across the United States, there are over 2,500 school-based health centers and approximately one-third of them are in rural areas, which traditionally suffer from limited access to care.

The coronavirus pandemic has shed a light on the current disparities riddled throughout our health care system.

As an increasing number of students go back to school, schools are on the front line in terms of managing the pandemic, and school-based health centers will be at the center of that response, making this reauthorization more essential than ever.

We must utilize this opportunity to strengthen these programs with additional federal funding.

I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to come together and pass this important legislation.

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