[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 73 (Wednesday, May 13, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1141]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING OUR MEDICAL HEROES AND HEROINES ON NATIONAL NURSES' 
                            RECOGNITION WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 13, 2009

  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in awe of all the amazing 
work our nation's nurses accomplish--from the battlefield in Iraq and 
Afghanistan, to the late-hours in the local hospitals of our 
communities. These men and women on the frontlines of our health care 
system deserve our utmost praise, and in this week, we salute their 
herculean efforts. But in the coming months, as we ambitiously attempt 
to bolster and reform America's health care, let's keep their concerns 
and their voices at the forefront. Let's do right by them, as we should 
by the 45 million uninsured Americans who need our help.
  The elimination of health disparities is a central goal of health 
reform. Minorities are more likely to be uninsured and often experience 
worse health outcomes. This is unacceptable and has been the case for 
far too long. If we do health reform right, we have a great opportunity 
to address the fundamentally inequitable health disparities that plague 
our nation. The first major step is to get everyone insured, but that 
is not enough. We must ensure that we have enough primary care, 
specialty doctors, and registered nurses to serve everyone. We must 
take steps to improve the health workforce and infrastructure so that 
insurance veritably translates into access to high-quality care. In 
addition, we must ensure that the millions of people who are Limited 
English Proficient have access to culturally and linguistically 
appropriate providers and care.
  The nearly 2.9 million registered nurses in the United States 
comprise our nation's largest health care profession. They are an 
indispensable component in the safety and quality of care for 
hospitalized patients, and are prepared to meet the different and 
emerging health care needs of our community. As a founding member of 
the Congressional Nursing Caucus, with a mandate to educate Congress on 
all aspects of the nursing profession and how nursing issues impact the 
delivery of safe, quality care, I will continue to advocate on behalf 
of these notable professionals.
  I honor registered nurse's accomplishments and efforts to improve our 
health care system, and we should all show our appreciation for the 
nation's registered nurses--not just this week but at every opportunity 
throughout the year.

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