[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 153 (Thursday, September 21, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4657-S4658]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. PADILLA:
  S. 2899. A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to include 
Middle Easterners and North Africans in the statutory definition of a 
``racial and ethnic minority group'', and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I rise to introduce the Health Equity 
and Middle Eastern and North African Community Inclusion Act of 2023. 
This bill would ensure that Middle Eastern and North African 
communities in the United States receive the Federal recognition they 
need to receive targeted public health resources.
  Too often, Federal data collection overlooks people in MENA 
communities. This is true even at the Office of Minority Health, which 
is tasked with the important work of improving health outcomes for 
racial and ethnic minority populations. The office's definition of 
``racial and ethnic minorities'' does not currently include a Middle 
Eastern or North African category, meaning that people in this 
community are often misidentified as White. As a result, the unique 
health concerns that Middle Easterners and North Africans face remain 
underreported and unaddressed.
  This bureaucratic oversight has a tangible impact on individuals' 
abilities to live full and healthy lives.

[[Page S4658]]

  The Health Equity and Middle Eastern and North African Community 
Inclusion Act of 2023 would add a Middle Eastern and North African 
category to the definition of ``racial and ethnic minorities'' used by 
the Office of Minority Health. Additionally, it would direct the 
Department of Health and Human Services to use this data to conduct a 
comprehensive study of the unique patterns and health outcomes in MENA 
populations.
  I want to thank Representative Tlaib for joining me in introducing 
this bill. I look forward to working with my colleagues to take this 
important step to reduce health disparities.
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