[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 13022]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



              PLIGHT OF PUBLIC HOSPITAL SYSTEMS IN NATION

  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this evening I would like to 
talk about the plight of the public hospital systems in this Nation, 
and use as an example my own public hospital system, the Harris County 
Hospital District.
  First of all, let me applaud the district for being such a vital part 
of our community, both in times of need and in times of tragedy. In 
particular over the last couple of weeks, it is the Harris County 
Hospital District that has stood up under the burden of Tropical Storm 
Allison. When any number of our private hospitals were closed, the 
Harris County Hospital District had its doors open. The trauma center, 
the Trauma 1 Emergency Center, was available for those who were in 
need. Now this hospital district is in need, and we need to rally 
around it to support it.
  First of all, there is an enormous nursing shortage, as we well know, 
throughout this Nation. We must find ways to enhance and grow nurses, 
as well as provide opportunities for existing nurses who are immigrants 
to come in and provide assistance.
  Furthermore, we must address the funding issue that plagues the 
Harris County Hospital District as it relates to the formula utilized 
for Medicaid dollars in this Congress. I hope that my colleagues on 
several committees that I will be approaching, along with Members of 
the United States Senate, can help us assist in obtaining additional 
funding, at least providing some minimal relief to the Harris County 
Hospital District, but addressing the need across the Nation for our 
public hospital systems. I applaud them and thank them for their 
service to the health needs of America.

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