[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 125 (Wednesday, October 6, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H8252-H8253]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HONORING NATIONAL NURSE PRACTITIONERS WEEK

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 500) honoring the goals and 
ideals of National Nurse Practitioners Week.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 500

       Whereas there are more than 106,000 licensed nurse 
     practitioners in the United States providing high-quality, 
     cost-effective health care;
       Whereas nurse practitioners are registered nurses, with 
     advanced education and advanced clinical training, most with 
     master's or post-master's degrees;
       Whereas nurse practitioners diagnose acute and chronic 
     conditions, prescribe medications, treat illnesses, and 
     counsel patients on health care issues, in coordination with 
     physicians and other health care providers;
       Whereas the excellence, safety, and cost-effectiveness of 
     the care provided by nurse practitioners has been 
     established;
       Whereas nurse practitioners provide health care to people 
     of all ages and in diverse health care settings, such as 
     private office practice, hospitals, long-term care 
     facilities, schools, State and local health departments, and 
     managed care facilities;
       Whereas more than 20 percent of nurse practitioners 
     practice in rural settings with populations of less than 
     25,000, and of the 62 percent who work in cities with 
     populations of more than 50,000, more than 39 percent work in 
     inner-city areas; and
       Whereas the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners has 
     designated the week of November 7-13, 2004, as National Nurse 
     Practitioners Week in recognition of the many contributions 
     that this dedicated group of health care professionals makes 
     to the health and well-being of the people in the communities 
     they serve in this great country: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) honors the goals and ideals of National Nurse 
     Practitioners Week; and
       (2) offers sincere support to nurse practitioners around 
     the country as they continue to provide high-quality health 
     care to many Americans.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis).


                             General Leave

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on the House Concurrent 
Resolution 500.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 500, honoring 
the goals and ideals of National Nurse Practitioners Week, introduced 
by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess).
  The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners has designated the week 
of November 7 through 13, 2004, as National Nurse Practitioners Week in 
recognition of the many contributions that this dedicated group of 
health care professionals makes to the people

[[Page H8253]]

and well-being of the people in the communities they serve in this 
great country.
  Currently, there are more than 100,000 licensed nurse practitioners 
in the United States providing high-quality, cost-effective health 
care. These nurses have advanced education and advanced clinical 
training, most with Master's or post-Master's degrees. Every day they, 
in coordination with physicians and other health care providers, 
diagnose acute and chronic conditions, prescribe medications, treat 
illnesses, and counsel patients on health care issues.
  I urge my colleagues to offer their support to nurse practitioners 
around the country and to help us support H. Con. Res. 500.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 3 minutes.
  Mr. Speaker, nurse practitioners play a critical role in meeting our 
Nation's medical needs. Working hand-in-hand with other professionals, 
nurse practitioners improve the flexibility and responsiveness and 
efficiency of our health care system. Because of their focus on primary 
care, disease prevention, and counseling, nurse practitioners serve as 
health care first responders for many American families. From weight 
management, blood pressure, dangerous infections, injuries, nurse 
practitioners have the frontline view of health care in our country.
  Nurse practitioners also improve the health care system's ability to 
reach underserved populations. As we all know, primary health care is 
desperately needed in many urban and central city communities.
  As this resolution notes, nurse practitioners have been there to help 
meet this need. Twenty percent of nurse practitioners serve in rural 
areas. Forty percent who serve in metropolitan areas work in central 
city settings.
  In this age of double-digit health care cost inflation, nurse 
practitioners help to improve the cost effectiveness of American health 
care. By improving patient choice of provider and by promoting 
competition, nurse practitioners help to moderate spiraling health care 
costs.
  Nurse practitioner training programs were first developed some 40 
years ago. A shortage of doctors forced State governments to innovate, 
and a few nurse practitioners were certified, mostly, in those days, 
initially in pediatrics. From that modest beginning, the nurse 
practitioner profession has grown to fill an important and vital role 
in America's health care system. There are now more than 100,000 nurse 
practitioners serving the American public.
  I join my colleagues in urging the House to agree to this concurrent 
resolution celebrating those 100,000 nurse practitioners and marking 
the goals and ideals of National Nurse Practitioners Week.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess), the writer of this bill, a 
gentleman who is a medical doctor, who certainly has practical real-
world experience in the world of nurse practitioners.
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for allowing this bill 
to come to the floor. I am aware that there are many of pieces of 
legislation that could have filled these hours this week.
  Mr. Speaker, nurse practitioners fill a vital role in America's 
health care system. As the gentleman from Ohio pointed out, there are 
over 106,000 nurse practitioners providing high-quality care around the 
Nation, and they are especially important in rural and underserved 
areas.
  These health care professionals are critical in my district, 
especially in areas of Fort Worth, Texas. John Peter Smith, the public 
hospital system in Tarrant County, maintains 23 clinics for low-income 
and indigent patients around the county.
  Nurse practitioners are able to enhance the services provided in many 
of these health care clinics. By utilizing nurse practitioners, John 
Peter Smith is able to see significantly more patients in an outpatient 
setting and to do so on a finite, fixed taxpayer-funded budget. John 
Peter Smith and the patients served by the health system could not do 
without the dedicated corps of nurse practitioners.
  And on a personal note, Mr. Speaker, I have worked with nurse 
practitioners both in a training program at Parkland Hospital and I 
have had several come through my private practice in Lewisville, Texas, 
who trained there and stayed on with me to work in private practice, 
Lori Driggs and Jenny Andrews, and certainly I learned a great deal 
more from them than I was ever able to teach them.
  Mr. Speaker, on November 7 through 13, 2004, the American Academy of 
Nurse Practitioners will recognize National Nurse Practitioners Week to 
honor the dedication and commitment of these health care professionals. 
I rise to commend nurse practitioners for the contribution they make to 
the health and well-being of our country.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from Illinois (Mr. Davis).
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I simply rise in strong support 
of H. Con. Res. 500, honoring the goals and ideals of National Nurse 
Practitioners Week. I also want to commend the gentleman from Florida 
(Chairman Bilirakis), chairman of the subcommittee, and the gentleman 
from Ohio (Mr. Brown), ranking member, for the tremendous work that 
they do on health and health-related issues.
  A great deal of my personal health care is provided by a nurse 
practitioner, and I simply commend her and all of the other nurse 
practitioners throughout the country who make up an integral part of 
our health care delivery system. And I would urge agreement to this 
concurrent resolution.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 500.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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