[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 146 (Saturday, October 8, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 8, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
 THE CONFERENCE REPORT ON THE MINORITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1994, 
                                S. 1569

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise to express my regret that the Senate 
was not able to act on the conference report accompanying S. 1569, the 
Minority Health Improvement Act of 1994.
  I am disappointed that this conference report, which passed the House 
by a vote of 394 to 5, was not finally approved in these closing hours 
of the 103d Congress. As my colleagues know, this legislation 
represented a considerable amount of work by a very broad group of 
health care interests. It is a good bill which would have done much to 
advance health care in our country.
  S. 1569 represented a significant accomplishment in strengthening 
Federal programs designed to improve the health status of minorities. 
The measure would have enhanced the delivery of health care services, 
the training of health care professionals, and expanded health research 
and health data collection for minorities.
  The Minority Health Improvement Act of 1994 reauthorized and 
strengthened 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.
  I was particularly pleased with the provisions that provided for a 2-
year reauthorization of the Community and Migrant Health Centers 
Program. These centers serve to provide much needed primary care to 
thousands of our citizens in underserved areas of the country. I 
strongly supported this component of S. 1569.

  I also strongly supported the provision authorizing a new program on 
Traumatic Brain Injury [TBI]. this bill has passed the Senate as a 
freestanding measure, S. 725, but its fate seems uncertain this year.
  I want to express extreme regret that the TBI legislation has been 
held up due to controversy over unrelated measures. The TBI bill is an 
important initiative, and if it does not go through in the 103d 
Congress, I plan to make it a priority for the 104th. Our colleague in 
the House of Representatives, Representative Jim Greenwood, is to be 
commended for his outstanding leadership on this issue.
  As my colleagues know, during the course of our consideration of the 
Minority Health bill, the legislation evolved into a more sweeping 
piece measure than that which was originally drafted.
  There were a few provisions in the conference agreement which I found 
troubling, and I hope that they can be improved next year.
  I was especially concerned about the House language in section 807 of 
title VIII regarding drug pricing. Conferees wisely rejected attempts 
to expand the provisions even further beyond the House language, but I 
still was not comfortable with the final language. I hope that any 
legislation next year will not contain such a provision, the position 
that was reflected in the Senate bill.
  Finally, I want to thank all the conferees and their staff, 
especially Dr. Van Dunn, for their hard work on this legislation. The 
Minority Health Improvement Act is an important bill, and I hope it 
will be a priority for enactment during the early months of 1995.

                          ____________________