[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 12, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H1754]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HEALTH CARE FOR THE UNINSURED AND THE HISPANIC HEALTH IMPROVEMENT ACT

  (Mr. RODRIQUEZ asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about the uninsured 
in America.
  The number of uninsured in this Nation is alarming. Too many people 
continue to go without insurance coverage. The numbers right now range 
close to 41 million Americans who are uninsured. The majority of these 
individuals are hard-working Americans that make $20,000 to $30,000 and 
find themselves unable to pay for their prescriptions.
  Tomorrow we will be filing a piece of legislation, the Hispanic 
Health Improvement Act. Hispanics are among the largest 
disproportionate number of uninsured, close to 31 percent. One out of 
three Hispanics are uninsured, yet 80 percent of those that are 
uninsured are working Americans, working hard but unable to provide it.
  The bill will provide an expansion not only to Medicaid, but also to 
SCHIP. It also will provide an increase in resources for those areas 
that disproportionately hit Hispanics such as diabetes, cancer, asthma, 
HIV/AIDS, and others. It also will provide an opportunity to provide 
access and affordability in the areas that are confronted. In addition 
to that, it also will strengthen the Nation's health care by allowing 
more opportunities for doctors and nurses to be included.

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