[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 108 (Thursday, September 14, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1492]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        VETERINARY HEALTH ENHANCEMENT ACT FOR UNDER-SERVED AREAS

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                   HON. CHARLES W. ``CHIP'' PICKERING

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 14, 2000

  Mr. PICKERING. Mr. Speaker, many rural and inner city areas of the 
United States lack proper veterinary care in their communities. As a 
result, the health of both animals and humans in these areas is at 
risk. In many cases, veterinarians, upon graduating from a school of 
veterinary medicine, opt to practice in a prosperous urban setting 
which provides the highest opportunity for income. This leaves many 
rural and inner-city regions lacking proper veterinary care.
  Rural areas in the United States are going through a unique 
transformation. These smalltown, agrarian communities are literally 
drying up. These areas can't afford to provide veterinarians the same 
levels of income as a more prosperous urban area. Therefore, these 
areas are forced to go without a practicing veterinarian in the area. 
Not only do families need pet health care in these areas, but farmers 
and ranchers are forced to conduct their operations without an 
agricultural veterinarian in the area resulting in the poor health of 
livestock and humans as well as loss of income to the farmer or 
rancher. In the same respect, poor, inner-city areas need additional 
veterinarians as well. These areas are hotbeds for dangerous diseases 
carried by animals which can then be spread to susceptible children.
  In response to this disparity, I am introducing the Veterinary Health 
Enhancement Act for Under-served Areas. Under this proposal, veterinary 
students will be provided debt relief for their veterinary school loans 
which often run higher than $120,000. This is a voluntary federal 
program in which the state school of veterinary medicine may choose to 
participate. Students may receive this assistance only if they agree to 
practice in an under-served area as mentioned above. The result of 
having veterinarians practicing in under-served rural and inner-city 
areas will help improve animal health, will ensure that the risk of 
disease transfer from animals to humans is minimal, and will lower the 
health risks especially to children who are more susceptible to these 
animal health risks.
  This is a non-controversial bill which will provide welcome 
veterinary care to inner city and rural areas. I urge all my colleagues 
to support this bill on behalf of their communities.

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