[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 147 (Tuesday, October 26, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H10773]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CALLING FOR INCREASED ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR

  (Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, this body will soon be voting on the 
conference report to the Labor-HHS appropriations bill. This gives us 
the opportunity to greatly improve the health of people of color.
  As we prepare to enter the 21st century, the poor, African-Americans 
and other ethnic minorities are essentially no healthier than they were 
at the opening of this one. There remains a gaping divide between 
whites and people of color in heart disease, cancer, diabetes, infant 
mortality and HIV/AIDS.
  The Congressional Black Caucus was able to mount an unprecedented 
initiative to target $156 million to communities of color across this 
country to address the state of emergency that exists with respect to 
HIV/AIDS and access to care. Although we made an impact, we need to do 
much more to increase access to the resources needed to raise the 
health status of minorities in this country.
  I appeal to this Congress to respond by fully funding the President's 
requests for health, by increasing the funding for the CBC initiative 
to $349 million, health disparities to $150 million and including the 
$35 million for AIDS in Africa.
  My colleagues, health care delayed is health care denied. Let us not 
deny hundreds of millions of Americans their right to good health.

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