[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 86 (Thursday, June 30, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 30, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
  DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND 
               RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1995

                                 ______


                               speech of

                             HON. JIM KOLBE

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 29, 1994

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4606) making 
     appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human 
     Services, and Education, and related agencies, for the fiscal 
     year ending September 30, 1995, and for other purposes:

  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the Porter 
amendment to the fiscal year 1995 Labor-HHS appropriations bill to 
increase funding for community health centers by $87 million for a 
total of $100 million.
  This new funding would create 125 new community health centers and 
provide access to health care for an additional 848,000 Americans. Mr. 
Chairman, this is what the health care debate is all about--access. 
Many uninsured and low-income families lack access to primary and 
preventative health care services. This is a real problem and Mr. 
Porter's amendment is a real solution.
  Community health centers provide care that a large population in this 
country and in my State of Arizona would not otherwise be able to 
obtain.
  The El Rio Santa Cruz Community Health Center in Tucson is an 
excellent example of the difference community health centers make. El 
Rio provides care for people who are caught in the gap--those who are 
not poor enough to qualify for public assistance and yet are unable to 
afford private health insurance policies. El Rio offers a sliding fee 
to this group and people pay according to their ability.
  El Rio offers cost-effective, quality care to the underserved 
population in Tucson and has strong support in the Tucson community--in 
fact El Rio has a new children's and dental clinic as a result of this 
support.
  El Rio has also established several programs which make a significant 
contribution to the health of low-income individuals and families in 
Tucson. These programs include a teen parent program, a well woman 
clinic, a teen wellness center, a homeless health care program, and a 
WIC center.
  Members from both parties recognize that community health centers are 
a vital component of health care delivery. These facilities have proven 
their effectiveness in combating the lack of affordable and available 
health care in underserved areas.
  We do not need a Government takeover of the health care system in 
order to provide cost-effective care to the uninsured and underinsured 
segments of our population--and we do not need to wait for Congress to 
get around to passing a health care bill.
  Mr. Porter's amendment will provide more low-income Americans with 
quality primary health care services today.
  I urge my colleagues to support the amendment.

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