[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 70 (Tuesday, May 18, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E889]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   UNDOCUMENTED ALIEN EMERGENCY MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AMENDMENTS OF 2004

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                               speech of

                            HON. GENE GREEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 17, 2004

  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 3722, 
the Alien Emergency Medical Assistance Amendments of 2004. This bill 
would prohibit the federal government from reimbursing hospitals for 
the emergency care they provide to undocumented immigrants. Under the 
bill, hospitals could only receive federal reimbursement if they 
provide the Department of Homeland Security with the patient's 
immigration status, financial data and employer information. The bill 
makes the immigrant's employer responsible for hospital costs and 
directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to initiate deportation 
proceedings against the immigrant.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill flies in the face of the medical profession's 
mission. A hospital's job is to help any individual in need of health 
care, regardless of the patient's immigration status. We need to let 
our health care professionals do their jobs, not burden them with 
additional administrative details that, if imposed, will discourage 
immigrants from seeking care.
  We already know the tremendous problems associated with the 44 
million Americans who are uninsured. It goes without saying that the 
uninsured are less likely to seek preventive health care and, as a 
result, get care at the hospital only when their health problems have 
reached emergency proportions. This bill would only exacerbate this 
problem and discourage our immigrant population from seeking health 
care at all, for fear of being reported to DHS. This would increase the 
health risk for citizens and immigrants, legal or not.
  It is unconscionable to me that we would consider denying necessary 
health care services to individuals solely based on their immigration 
status. This is a wrong-headed approach to addressing our health care 
problems and would only serve to decrease access to care.
  As such, I would urge my colleagues to vote against this bill and, 
instead, co-sponsor legislation that I have introduced to increase 
undocumented immigrants' access to quality health care. My legislation, 
H.R. 3273, would allow state and locally-funded programs to provide 
preventive and primary health care to undocumented aliens. H.R. 3273 
addresses our health care problems at the source and would allow our 
local hospitals to see that their health care dollars are spent more 
wisely by preventing emergencies--not treating them.
  Mr. Speaker, illnesses know no residency. Medical care shouldn't 
either. I urge my colleagues to reject the misguided Rohrabacher bill 
and address our health care problems--both in terms of access and 
funding--at the source by focusing their efforts on prevention.

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