Health Centers Renewal Act of 2008

Floor Speech

Madam Speaker, I enthusiastically rise today in support of H.R. 1343, The Health Centers Renewal Act of 2007. For over 40 years, community health centers have provided cost-effective, high-quality health care to poor and medically underserved people in the States, the District of Columbia, and the territories, including the working poor, the uninsured, and many high-risk and vulnerable populations. Community Health Centers nationwide provide care to 1 of every 8 uninsured Americans, 1 of every 4 Americans in poverty, and 1 of every 9 rural Americans.

As a former president of the National Community Heath Centers organization, I am honored to advocate for the expansion of this tremendously vital segment of our comprehensive healthcare system. By incorporating both H.R. 5544--The Patients and Public Health Partnership Act of 2008 and H.R. 870, which amends the Public Health Service Act to provide liability protections for practitioners of health centers who provide health services in emergency areas into this legislation; H.R. 1343 is now expanded to increase both insured coverage and access to critical resources for these invaluable medical professionals. This legislation empowers community health practitioners to serve on a larger scale and make an even greater positive impact particularly at a time when our health care delivery systems across the board are overburdened. I ask my colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 1343.

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