Expressing Sense of the House on Establishing National Community Health Center Week

EXPRESSING SENSE OF THE HOUSE ON ESTABLISHING NATIONAL COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER WEEK -- (House of Representatives - July 12, 2004)

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 646) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that there should be established a National Community Health Center Week to raise awareness of health services provided by community, migrant, public housing, and homeless health centers.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join with my colleague from Michigan in consideration of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the proud sponsor of this resolution to establish a National Community Health Center Week. As we continue to discuss health care and as we continue hopefully to move towards enactment of a national health plan which covers everyone without regard to their ability to pay and as we continue to discuss access, affordability, and strategic deployment of services, we can take pride in some of our accomplishments in health care; and one of the most important and effective accomplishments since the enactment of Medicare and Medicaid has been the development of community health centers.

Fortunately, community health centers are available throughout the Nation to help those in need or those who get displaced by job status or other economic conditions. Community health centers have become the safety net within the health care system, caring for one of every eight uninsured individuals, one of every nine Medicaid beneficiaries, one of every seven people of color, and one of every nine rural Americans, as well as reaching out to over 621,000 homeless persons and more than 709,000 migrant and seasonal farm workers.

Community health centers are established in almost every corner of our Nation representing every aspect of any congressional district, whether it be assisting the working poor in the inner city or in the rural farmland, migrant workers, or even those who have insurance but do not have access to any other health facilities.

These health centers provide high-quality, cost-effective health care as they continue to meet escalating health needs and assist in reducing health disparities as they provide high levels of quality care. With the weakened economy and unemployment reaching its highest point in almost a decade, our Nation's health centers are feeling and will continue to feel the brunt of increasing volume of patients, especially the uninsured. So by establishing a week to raise awareness of community health centers, we will also be highlighting each year the great accomplishments these nonprofit community-owned and -operated health providers offer to many communities throughout the Nation.

With recent numbers indicating that the Nation's uninsured population is even higher than once thought, at a startling 60 million, if our Nation will not realize the need for universal health care, we need to at least realize the importance and the need to better fund our community health centers.

So I am pleased to note the significant increase in the fiscal year 2005 budget that our community health centers that are in great need are receiving in order to continue and expand these services as well as construction for new and expanded facilities.

One of the most amazing and important aspects of community health centers is the involvement of the community. Each center tailors their services to best meet the needs and priorities of the communities in which they reside. Citizens in these communities become active participants in their community's health care decision-making. Health centers even provide approximately 70,000 jobs to the residents in communities of these areas.

Mr. Speaker, community health centers are indeed the safety net which is committed to serving all individuals with the mission that everyone deserves quality health care services regardless of where they reside, if they can pay or whether or not they have insurance. They are vital to ensuring that even the poor and disadvantaged in this country have the greatest opportunity to be healthy. These centers are indeed a hallmark of development of our Nation's health care delivery system.

I am pleased that I can stand and be a part of promoting the awareness that they exist and the accomplishments which they have achieved.

[Begin Insert]

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for House Resolution 646, legislation expressing the sense of the House that a week in August should be set aside to promote public awareness of the many health services provided by community, migrant, public housing, and homeless health centers.

Every day our Nation's health centers provide high quality, affordable primary care and preventive health services to people who might not otherwise have access to health care. Through their cost-effective, community-based approach, health centers serve a very important role in our efforts to ensure that all Americans have access to health care.

I am very pleased with the work of Utah's community-based health centers. In 2002, Utah's Health Centers provided comprehensive health care services for over 93,000 Utahns, and they are working to expand their services to meet the needs of Utah's working poor, homeless, elderly, minority, and rural populations. I have long supported the community health center program and am proud of the efforts of Utah's Community Health Centers to increase access to health care and preventive health services in a community-oriented fashion.

I believe it is very fitting that we recognize the commitment of our Nation's health centers with National Community Health Center Week and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important resolution.

[End Insert]

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.