[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 646 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
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.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 18, 2004

  Mr. Davis of Illinois (for himself, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Capuano, Mr. 
Bonilla, Mr. Ross, Mr. Owens, Ms. Corrine Brown of Florida, Mr. Matsui, 
 Mr. Thompson of California, Mr. Ballance, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Abercrombie, 
Mr. Case, Ms. Bordallo, Mr. John, Mr. Meehan, Mr. Serrano, Mr. McNulty, 
    Mr. Towns, Mr. Stenholm, Mr. Waxman, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr. 
   Rodriguez, Mr. McIntyre, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Bell, Mr. Conyers, Ms. 
    Slaughter, Mr. Cardoza, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Ms. 
 Lofgren, Mr. Bereuter, and Mr. Thompson of Mississippi) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Government 
                                 Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
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.

Whereas community, migrant, public housing, and homeless health centers are 
        nonprofit, community owned and operated health providers and are vital 
        to the Nation's communities;
Whereas there are more than 1,000 such health centers serving 15,000,000 people 
        in over 3,500 urban and rural communities in all 50 States, the District 
        of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands;
Whereas such health centers have provided cost-effective, high-quality health 
        care to the Nation's poor and medically underserved (including the 
        working poor, the uninsured, and many high-risk and vulnerable 
        populations), acting as a vital safety net in the Nation's health 
        delivery system, meeting escalating health needs, and reducing health 
        disparities;
Whereas these health centers provide care to individuals in the United States 
        who would otherwise lack access to health care, including 1 of every 8 
        uninsured individuals, 1 of every 9 Medicaid beneficiaries, 1 of every 7 
        people of color, and 1 of every 9 rural Americans;
Whereas these health centers and other innovative programs in primary and 
        preventive care reach out to over 621,000 homeless persons and more than 
        709,000 migrant and seasonal farmworkers;
Whereas these health centers make health care responsive and cost effective by 
        integrating the delivery of primary care with aggressive outreach, 
        patient education, translation, and enabling support services;
Whereas these health centers increase the use of preventive health services such 
        as immunizations, Pap smears, mammograms, and glaucoma screenings;
Whereas in communities served by these health centers infant mortality rates 
        have been reduced between 10 and 40 percent;
Whereas these health centers are built by community initiative;
Whereas Federal grants provide seed money empowering communities to find 
        partners and resources and to recruit doctors and needed health 
        professionals;
Whereas Federal grants on average form 25 percent of such a health center's 
        budget, with the remainder provided by State and local governments, 
        Medicare, Medicaid, private contributions, private insurance, and 
        patient fees;
Whereas these health centers are community oriented and patient focused;
Whereas these health centers tailor their services to fit the special needs and 
        priorities of communities, working together with schools, businesses, 
        churches, community organizations, foundations, and State and local 
        governments;
Whereas these health centers contribute to the health and well-being of their 
        communities by keeping children healthy and in school and helping adults 
        remain productive and on the job;
Whereas these health centers engage citizen participation and provide jobs for 
        over 70,000 community residents; and
Whereas the establishment of a ``National Health Center Week'' for the week 
        beginning August 8, 2004, would raise awareness of the health services 
        provided by health centers: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) there should be established a ``National Health Center 
        Week'' to raise awareness of the health services provided by 
        community, migrant, public housing, and homeless health 
        centers; and
            (2) the President should issue a proclamation calling on 
        the people of the United States and interested organizations to 
        observe such a week with appropriate programs and activities.
                                 <all>