[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 78 (Tuesday, May 13, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H3753]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                NATIONAL TRAUMA CENTER STABILIZATION ACT

  (Mr. BURGESS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, tonight I come to the floor of the House 
to talk about the bipartisan health care bill introduced by Mr. Towns, 
Ms. Blackburn and Mr. Waxman. This bill, the National Trauma Center 
Stabilization Act, is particularly timely, given that this is National 
Hospital Week.
  While it seems like there's a special observance for everything these 
days, National Hospital Week celebrates the vital role hospitals play 
in our communities. From delivering our babies to treating traumatic 
injuries, to caring for our sick and elderly, our Nation's 6,000 
hospitals are a critical component of the American health care system, 
and the American health care system is the best in the world, in part, 
due to the quality of our Nation's hospitals.
  Because of my background treating patients, one of my top priorities 
in Congress is ensuring that the Federal Government does its part to 
maintain and improve health care in this country. This includes strong 
support for our hospitals.
  To this end, the National Trauma Center Stabilization Act will help 
give the 500 trauma centers around the country the support they need to 
do the critical work they do, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
  Madam Speaker, I took an oath as a physician and as a policy maker to 
serve patients and people to the best of my abilities. It's wonderful 
when these two pledges intersect to make productive policy. The 
bipartisan National Trauma Center Stabilization Act meets both of these 
criteria. There's no better time to sign on than today, during National 
Hospital Week.

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