[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 121 (Wednesday, July 30, 2014)]
[House]
[Page H7049]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HEALTH EQUITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Roybal-Allard) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my colleagues in the 
Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, and the 
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I rise to introduce the 
Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2014.
  The Congressional Tri-Caucus, over the past 10 years, has been 
tireless in its effort to educate Congress and the country about the 
disproportionate burden of premature deaths and preventable illnesses 
existing in our minority communities. Towards that end, the Tri-Caucus 
developed a national strategy for the elimination of racial and ethnic 
health disparities. The keystone of this strategy is the Tri-Caucus 
Health Equity and Accountability Act, first introduced in 2003 and 
every Congress since.
  HEAA, in many ways, is unique. First, the bill and its introduction 
rotates each Congress among the three caucuses. This year, as chair of 
the CHC Health Task Force, I have the distinct honor of carrying on the 
tradition by introducing the bill for the 113th Congress.
  Second, and most importantly, HEAA outlines the collective 
institutional knowledge of a diverse group of policymakers, health 
professionals, and advocacy organizations from throughout the country 
on what policies are needed to halt, reduce, and eliminate health 
disparities.
  At the beginning of each new Congress, the HEAA working group 
convenes and several hundred minority and health advocacy organizations 
meet on a regular basis to discuss the bill and update it based on new 
research and recommendations to meet the ever-changing needs of our 
Nation's most vulnerable populations.
  Also, just as the bill introduction rotates each Congress between 
Member offices, the leadership of the HEAA working group rotates among 
advocacy organizations. In the 113th Congress, this effort was 
spearheaded by the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, 
whose members I commend for their deep commitment to social justice and 
for their tireless work on this bill, which included coordinating the 
input of over 350 health and minority advocacy groups.
  The HEAA is a principled living road map that can be used by 
policymakers and providers alike. For example, the Affordable Care Act 
contains many groundbreaking policies first introduced in HEAA, 
including expansion of Medicaid eligibility, increased resources for 
community health centers, and institutionalizing Federal efforts to 
achieve health equity.
  Nevertheless, while the ACA has made a significant impact on access 
to quality health care, many inequities and obstacles remain that 
prevent the elimination of health disparities in our country. That is 
why the HEAA of 2014 provides Federal resources and advanced policies 
to improve health outcomes in all populations regardless of race, 
ethnicity, immigration status, age, ability, sex, sexual orientation, 
gender identity, or English proficiency.

                              {time}  1100

  The HEAA is made up of ten titles proposing a wide spectrum of health 
initiatives that address disparities and mental health and specific 
high impact minority diseases.
  The bill also provides guidelines for improving the health outcomes 
for women, children, and families, and targets resources to communities 
striving to overcome negative social factors.
  Finally, the bill includes recommendations to enhance data 
collection, technology, accountability, and evaluation; increase 
workforce diversity; and ensure access to culturally and linguistically 
appropriate care.
  Mr. Speaker, the members of the Tri-Caucus and members of the HEAA 
working group believe no one's health or life expectancy should be 
determined by the color of their skin or the Zip Code in which they are 
born.
  The Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2014 is a consensus 
blueprint of the most comprehensive and strategic plans to eliminate 
health disparities in our country.
  I urge my colleagues to support the Health Equity and Accountability 
Act of 2014.

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