[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 41 (Thursday, March 13, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3722-S3723]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        COVER THE UNINSURED WEEK

  Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, as most of my colleagues know, this week is 
Cover the Uninsured Week in America. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 
and a host of other organizations, including the U.S. Chamber of 
Commerce, the AFL-CIO, and AARP, have come together, recognizing that 
we can delay no longer in addressing this critical issue. Like them, I 
believe that Congress should seize this opportunity to reaffirm its 
commitment to bringing high quality, affordable, and stable health 
coverage within reach of the 41 million Americans who now go without.
  Health insurance coverage is the best predictor of access to health 
care in America today; yet, despite its importance, more than 41 
million Americans remain uninsured, and 75 million Americans under 65 
years of age--three out of every 10--were uninsured at some point 
during the past two years. Experts estimate that this number will 
increase by 1 to 3 million people this year as the economic downturn 
continues. In our state alone, 436,000 people sought Oregon Health Plan 
coverage last year--a 14 percent increase since 2000.
  I know we can reverse this trend because we have done it in the past. 
During my first year in the U.S. Senate, I helped create the State 
Children's Health Insurance Program, SCHIP. That program provides 
coverage for needy children who do not qualify for the Oregon Health 
Plan. Today, all 50 States have SCHIP programs providing for 4.6 
million children. And in 2001, Oregon's SCHIP program provided health 
coverage to over 41,000 needy children.
  While we in Congress debate the ways in which legislators can help 
tackle this difficult problem, people all over the country are acting 
on their own to help bring health services and a better quality of life 
to countless vulnerable Americans. During Cover the Uninsured Week I 
would like to tell you about one person from my own state of Oregon 
whom I consider to be a true ``Health Care Hero.'' Mr. Ian Timm is a 
man who has truly made a difference to the lives and health of many 
Oregonians.
  Mr. Timm is well known as an effective advocate bringing health 
services to Oregon's needy. Whether serving on the Oregon Rural Health 
Association board, chairing the Oregon Statewide Health Coordinating 
Council, or providing leadership as a Linn County Commissioner, Mr. 
Timm has dedicated his professional life to making a difference in the 
lives of others. He is well known for providing both vision and 
structure to Oregon's efforts to provide quality health services for 
children and families. Because of his work, young children receive 
immunizations, mothers have quality pre-natal care, and seniors have 
the attention of physicians, all regardless of their financial status.
  In Oregon, we have a tradition of taking care of those who cannot 
take care of themselves--Mr. Timm has been a leader in making this 
value a reality. For instance, Mr. Timm's vision led to the development 
of Care Oregon, which provides health coverage for thousands of 
Oregonians as the largest insurer of clients within the Oregon Health 
Plan. He serves on the Oregon Partnership to Immunize Children, 
ensuring that Oregon kids receive the preventive care they need. 
Through his work at the Oregon Primary Care Association, Mr. Timm has 
increased access to health care by bringing resources to community 
based health centers. These centers are one of the most effective ways 
to provide health care to those who often drop through the cracks, 
preventing disease and saving lives.
  But Mr. Timm's service is not limited to our borders. Driven by his 
faith and concern for others, he has shared his time and talents 
overseas in the Sudan and in Thailand. During the Ethopian refugee 
crisis, he supervised the construction of camps and provided medical 
and sanitation services for 105,000 refugees. In Thailand, he created 
sanitation programs for 14 refugee camps, and supervised two outpatient 
clinics, public and school health programs, and the Khmer Health 
Training Center. Few of us are willing to forsake the comforts of home, 
yet Mr. Timm

[[Page S3723]]

volunteered to bring hope and life to those in the most desperate 
corners of the globe.
  Mr. Timm has built both a local and national reputation as an 
effective advocate and distinguished public servant who is a true 
friend to the poor and vulnerable. This year, Mr. Timm will retire from 
professional service, ending his distinguished career as the Executive 
Director of the Oregon Primary Care Association. He will be sorely 
missed. But given his record of valuable service, I'm confident he will 
continue to make a difference for Oregonians.
  I salute Ian Timm for his record of accomplishment and tremendous 
legacy of healthy Oregon children and families. He is the definition of 
a Health Care Hero and an example of compassionate service for all of 
us here in Congress and across America.
  We in the U.S. Senate have a moral obligation to follow Ian Timm's 
example. In so doing, the 108th Congress can leave its own legacy of 
healthy children and families. Cover the Uninsured week lasts only 7 
days, but I urge my colleagues to continue their personal commitment to 
this issue throughout their time in public office and beyond. Only with 
this type of dedication can we truly keep America healthy.

                          ____________________