[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 129 (Wednesday, July 26, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H3965]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            SHORTAGE OF PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS AT VA CLINIC

  (Mr. HARDER of California asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HARDER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today out of concern 
for the ongoing shortage of primary care physicians at Stockton VA 
Clinic in my district.
  There are nearly 30,000 veterans that live in San Joaquin County, but 
earlier this year the Stockton VA Clinic went from eight doctors to 
just four in the span of just a couple of months, a 50 percent 
reduction of full-time, in-person physicians. This is completely 
unacceptable. This is leading to a caseload of over 7,000 veterans for 
every doctor that we have.
  My constituents have been telling me that they have to wait more than 
90 days to get an appointment. Men and women who risk their lives for 
our freedom deserve better than months-long wait times to see a doctor.
  As we consider the VA's budget this week, it is clear that we can do 
so much more to address the workforce shortages in my district and 
across the country at the VA. Our veterans deserve better.
  Primary care is an essential part of every veteran's medical care, 
and it is on us to make sure that that care is never in jeopardy. I 
will continue to fight for the funding to fully staff our clinics until 
we get that done.

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