[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 14 (Friday, February 11, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 11, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                MINORITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1994

                                 ______


                          HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 11, 1994

  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Mr. Synar, Mr. Richardson, Mr. 
Towns, Mr. Washington, Mr. Upton, Mr. Franks of Connecticut, Mr. 
Mineta, Mr. Matsui, Mr. Serrano, Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Pastor, Mr. 
Mendendez, Mr. Romero-Barcelo, Ms. Velazquez and Mr. Underwood, I am 
pleased to introduce the Minority Health Improvement Act of 1994.
  The principal purpose of this bill is to strengthen Federal programs 
designed to improve the health status of minorities through the 
delivery of health care services, training of health professionals, and 
expanded research and date collection. The legislation was reported by 
the Subcommittee on Health and the Environment on February 9, 1994.
  Last summer our subcommittee received testimony from many witnesses 
who testified about the barriers that many people in minority 
communities experience when trying to receive basic health care 
services. The overwhelming lack of health insurance for many minority 
communities is compounded by the fact there is no doctor in the 
neighborhood, or the nearest clinic is three bus rides away, or the 
doctor doesn't speak the patient's language.
  A major provision of this bill goes right to the heart of improving 
the health status of minorities. It guarantees the training of young 
minority health professionals who will provide basic health services in 
the communities where today--minorities have the least access to health 
care.
  By replacing a confusing and ineffective patchwork quilt of 
scholarship programs, the bill offers disadvantaged students the 
opportunity to attend school without the fear of unsurmountable debt. 
It will provide disadvantaged students full scholarship plus a living 
stipend in exchange for a commitment to join the National Health 
Service Corp and work, after graduation, in a medically underserved 
community.
  The effect of the legislation is to expand by over 200 percent the 
number of disadvantaged students able to receive a corp scholarship. 
Last year 1,363 minority students applied for Corp scholarships but 
funds were only available to meet the needs of 118. Hundreds of 
students already committed to improving the health status of 
disadvantaged communities were denied the opportunity for lack of 
funding.
  The budget caps require tough choices, but by acting to consolidate 
existing Federal health scholarship programs, new opportunities can be 
opened for hundreds of minority students and hundreds of medically 
underserved communities. This is a worthy objective for which this 
Congress can take great pride.
  This bill also reauthorizes a number of expiring programs which 
comprise the core of our Federal strategy to promote minority health 
and reduce the disparity in health status and health access. These 
programs include:
  The Office of Minority Health, which is charged with establishing 
national minority health goals;
  The Health Careers Opportunity Program, which is critical to 
identifying and nurturing the health professions careers of promising 
minority students;
  The Centers of Excellence, which support a network of academic 
centers focused on minority health training;
  Special financial assistance, which support disadvantaged students 
attending programs in veterinary medicine, pharmacy, public health, 
optometry, and allied health;
  Federally subsidized loans, which support student attending health 
professions schools; and
  Loan repayment programs, which encourage minority health 
professionals to teach in health professions schools.

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