[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 74 (Thursday, May 14, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E707-E708]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS--50 YEARS OF SUCCESS

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 14, 2015

  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give thanks to all the 
community health centers in America and especially those in my district 
in California. These clinics are the workhorses of health care. Whether 
it be in the rural community of San Benito County, the downtown 
environs of Seaside on the Monterey Peninsula, the ag community of 
Watsonville or the

[[Page E708]]

streetscape of Santa Cruz, community health clinics provide expert 
health care to whomever needs it. These clinics increasingly are 
significant sources of regular, primary health services and not just 
drop-in-as-a-last-resort centers. In addition to providing on-the-spot 
health care they also run education programs on wellness, nutrition, 
diabetes and pre-natal care. All this is done at little or no charge to 
the patient with costs picked up by federal health programs, 
partnerships with other public and private entities and charitable 
donations.
   The first community health centers were established in the U.S. in 
1965 and May 15, 2015 marks 50 years since their introduction. Since 
then they've serviced over 62 million persons, including 13 million new 
patients since the advent of the Affordable Care Act. In a district 
like mine which includes an agriculture workforce that is often on the 
margins of health care the community health clinics are a godsend to 
keeping this workforce healthy and industrious.
   Mr. Speaker, I want to say for all America to hear: I am very proud 
of the community health clinics in my district. I am sure my House 
colleagues have similar good stories to tell about the community health 
clinics in their districts, too. I hope they will join me in saying 
`thank you' and `good job' to these clinics and wish them well as they 
embark on the next 50 years of service.

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