Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS -- (Senate - September 25, 2009)

By Mr. REED (for himself and Mr. Leahy):

S. 1720. A bill to amend title VII of the Public Health Service Act to provide improved training and primary care; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Mr. REED. Mr. President, today I, along with Senator Leahy, introduce the Health Professions and Primary Care Reinvestment Act, which seeks to enhance the training and education of primary care providers and establish a new system for evaluating and analyzing primary care workforce programs funded by Title VII Health Professions Education and Training grants.

In 1963, in response to an impending physician shortage, Congress passed and President Johnson signed the Health Professions Educational Assistance Act into law. Qualified educational and medical institutions became eligible for grants to support primary care curriculum and faculty development, and scholarships and loans to train individuals in certain primary care health professions.

The country is, once again, facing a physician shortage. However, this time, the shortage is one component of a larger system-wide crisis.

The Health Professions and Primary Care Reinvestment Act takes an important step toward providing our primary care providers with the necessary resources for better coordinating care, integrating treatment options, and communicating with patients. It also would enhance the evaluation and analysis of programs funded by Title VII grants in an effort to ensure that funding is appropriately allocated.

The Title VII program deserves a robust evaluation and restructuring and I believe that the provisions set forth in the Health Professions and Primary Care Reinvestment Act will accomplish that goal. My colleagues on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee agreed and voted to include similar provisions in the Affordable Health Choices Act, which was reported out of the Committee on July 15, 2009.

We must continue our efforts to reform our health care system. In doing so, we must not forget about the important need to ensure an adequate workforce to care for patients. I look forward to the full Senate considering these vitally important reforms.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:

S. 1720

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