[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 156 (Thursday, September 28, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1295]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING COMMUNITY CLINIC ASSOCIATION OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY AND OTHER 
         COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS IN CALIFORNIA'S 44TH DISTRICT

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                       HON. NANETTE DIAZ BARRAGAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 28, 2017

  Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to a health 
care success story that so many of us here, on both sides of the aisle, 
can appreciate: the role that our nation's community health centers 
play in providing high-quality primary and preventive care to more than 
27 million patients in nearly 11,000 communities nationwide. 
Unfortunately, these centers are at risk unless Congress acts quickly 
to extend funding for programs that support CHCs.
  CHCs have provided care for low-income, rural, and underserved 
communities for more than fifty years. In that time, many of these 
health centers have expanded to offering integrated services like 
behavioral health, dental care, and--increasingly--substance use 
disorder treatments essential to combating nationwide epidemics like 
opioid addiction. It's this kind of integrated and patient-centered 
care that leads to better health outcomes for patients, as well as 
cost-savings for both our nation's health care system and for 
taxpayers.
  In my district, we have 15 federally funded health center 
organizations who collectively leverage $46.4 million in federal 
investment to serve 500,328 people at 22 locations. I've been to many 
of these locations, and seen in person what a difference these 
organizations make in the lives of our neighbors, and in the health of 
our community.
  Two years ago, the House of Representatives voted overwhelming to 
extend funding for CHCs as part of the Medicare Access and CHIP 
Reauthorization Act of 2015. Now that that deadline is upon us, 
Congress must act again. This time Congress must pass a long-term 
extension of at least five years, so that our CHCs can have the 
predictability and stability they need to recruit providers, purchase 
equipment, and plan strategically for how to meet the current and 
future needs of communities. I strongly support keeping funding levels 
for CHCs whole, something more than 350 members in both the House and 
Senate signed letters supporting earlier this year.
  For the sake of our communities and their health, we can't delay in 
securing funding for CHCs. It's time to fix the health center funding 
cliff and invest in a local solution we all know delivers results.

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