[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 78 (Thursday, June 13, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5544-S5545]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 121--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS THAT 
THERE SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED A NATIONAL HEALTH CENTER WEEK FOR THE WEEK 
  BEGINNING ON AUGUST 18, 2002, TO RAISE AWARENESS OF HEALTH SERVICES 
  PROVIDED BY COMMUNITY, MIGRANT, PUBLIC HOUSING, AND HOMELESS HEALTH 
                                CENTERS

  Mr. HUTCHINSON (for himself, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Bond, and Mr. Hollings) 
submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on the Judiciary:

                            S. Con. Res. 121

       Whereas community, migrant, public housing, and homeless 
     health centers (referred to in this concurrent resolution as 
     ``health centers'') are nonprofit, community-owned and 
     community-operated health providers and are vital to the 
     Nation's communities;
       Whereas there are more than 1,000 health centers serving 
     12,000,000 people at more than 4,000 health delivery sites, 
     spanning urban and rural communities in all 50 States, the 
     District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin 
     Islands;
       Whereas health centers have provided cost-effective, 
     quality health care to the Nation's poor and medically 
     underserved (including the working poor, the uninsured, and 
     many high-risk and vulnerable populations), acting as a vital 
     safety net in the Nation's health delivery system, meeting 
     escalating health needs, and reducing health disparities;
       Whereas health centers provide care to 1 of every 9 
     uninsured Americans, 1 of every 8 low-income Americans, and 1 
     of every 10 rural Americans, and without health centers these 
     Americans would otherwise lack access to health care;
       Whereas health centers and other innovative programs in 
     primary and preventive

[[Page S5545]]

     care reach out to 650,000 homeless persons and 700,000 farm 
     workers;
       Whereas health centers make health care responsive and 
     cost-effective by integrating the delivery of primary care 
     with aggressive outreach, patient education, translation, and 
     enabling support services;
       Whereas health centers increase the use of preventive 
     health services such as immunizations, Pap smears, 
     mammograms, and glaucoma screenings;
       Whereas in communities served by health centers, infant 
     mortality rates have been reduced by between 10 and 40 
     percent;
       Whereas health centers are built by community initiative;
       Whereas Federal grants provide seed money to empower 
     communities to find partners and resources and to recruit 
     doctors and needed health professionals;
       Whereas Federal grants, on average, contribute 22 percent 
     of a health center's budget, with the remainder provided by 
     State and local governments, medicare, medicaid, private 
     contributions, private insurance, and patient fees;
       Whereas health centers are community-oriented and patient-
     focused;
       Whereas health centers tailor their services to fit the 
     special needs and priorities of communities by working 
     together with schools, businesses, churches, community 
     organizations, foundations, and State and local governments;
       Whereas health centers contribute to the health and well-
     being of their communities by keeping children healthy and in 
     school and helping adults remain productive and on the job;
       Whereas health centers engage citizen participation and 
     provide jobs for 50,000 community residents; and
       Whereas the establishment of a National Community Health 
     Center Week for the week beginning on August 18, 2002, would 
     raise awareness of the health services provided by health 
     centers: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) there should be established a National Community Health 
     Center Week for the week beginning on August 18, 2002, to 
     raise awareness of health services provided by health 
     centers; and
       (2) the President should issue a proclamation calling on 
     the people of the United States and interested organizations 
     to observe such a week with appropriate programs and 
     activities.

  Mr. HUTCHINSON. Madam President, I rise today to submit a concurrent 
resolution, along with my colleagues, Senators Durbin, Bond, and 
Hollings, that would establish the week of August 18, 2002, as National 
Community Health Center Week.
  Community, migrant, public housing, and homeless health centers are 
nonprofit providers of health care for our Nation's medically 
underserved. An essential element of our Nation's safety net, health 
centers provide care to 1 of every 9 uninsured Americans, 1 of every 8 
low-income Americans and 1 of every 10 rural Americans. In rural and 
small communities, health centers are often the only health care 
providers, and in many cases can be the difference between life and 
death. Communities served by these health care centers have experienced 
reduced infant mortality rates by as much as 10 and 40 percent. Not 
only are health centers contributing to the physical well-being of 
communities, they are also contributing to the economic well-being of 
the communities where they are located, by employing over 50,000 
community residents nationwide.
  I commend President Bush for recognizing the valuable role of 
community health centers. The President has wisely called for the 
establishment of 1,200 new and expanded health center sites by 2006 
that will enable health centers to serve more than 16 million patients 
annually.
  Congress should also pay tribute to the role of these centers in 
improving the health and well-being of our Nation's poor and medically 
underserved by establishing the week of August 18, 2002, as National 
Community Health Center Week.

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