[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 13]
[House]
[Pages 17164-17165]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       SUPPORTING GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL HEALTH CENTER WEEK

  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 289) supporting the goals and ideals of National 
Health Center Week in order to raise awareness of health services 
provided by community, migrant, public housing, and homeless health 
centers, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 289

       Whereas community, migrant, public housing, and homeless 
     health centers are nonprofit, community owned and operated 
     health providers and are vital to the Nation's communities;
       Whereas there are more than 1,000 such health centers 
     serving more than 15,000,000 people in over 3,600 
     communities;
       Whereas such health centers are found in urban and rural 
     communities in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, 
     Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands;
       Whereas such health centers have provided cost-effective, 
     high-quality health care to the Nation's poor and medically 
     underserved (including the working poor, the uninsured, and 
     many high-risk and vulnerable populations), acting as a vital 
     safety net in the Nation's health delivery system;
       Whereas these health centers provide care to 1 of every 7 
     uninsured individuals, 1 of every 9 Medicaid beneficiaries, 1 
     of every 7 people of color, and 1 of every 9 rural Americans, 
     all of whom would otherwise lack access to health care;
       Whereas these health centers are engaged with other 
     innovative programs in primary and preventive care to reach 
     out to over 621,000 homeless persons and more than 709,000 
     farm workers;
       Whereas these health centers make health care responsive 
     and cost-effective by integrating the delivery of primary 
     care with aggressive outreach, patient education, 
     transportation, translation, and enabling support services;
       Whereas these health centers increase the use of preventive 
     health services such as immunizations, Pap smears, 
     mammograms, and glaucoma screenings;
       Whereas in communities served by these health centers, 
     infant mortality rates have been reduced over the past 4 
     years even as infant mortality rates across the country have 
     risen;
       Whereas these health centers are built by community 
     initiative, and run by the patients they serve;
       Whereas Federal grants provide seed money empowering 
     communities to find partners and resources to recruit doctors 
     and needed health professionals;
       Whereas Federal grants on average contribute 25 percent of 
     such a health center's budget, with the remainder provided by 
     State and local governments, Medicare, Medicaid, private 
     contributions, private insurance, and patient fees;
       Whereas there are more than 100 health centers that receive 
     no Federal grant funding, yet continue to serve their 
     communities regardless of their patients' ability to pay;
       Whereas health centers tailor their services to fit the 
     special needs and priorities of their communities, working 
     together with schools, businesses, churches, community 
     organizations, foundations, and State and local governments;
       Whereas health centers contribute to the health and well-
     being of their communities by keeping children healthy and in 
     school and helping adults remain productive and on the job;
       Whereas health centers encourage citizen participation and 
     provide jobs for nearly 100,000 community residents; and
       Whereas National Health Center Week raises awareness of the 
     health services provided by health centers: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved,  That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Health Center 
     Week; and
       (2) requests that the President issue a proclamation 
     calling upon the people of the United States to observe the 
     week with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Issa) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa).
  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I will be brief, because, in fact, the minority member, 
the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) who is managing this, is the 
author of this bill.
  This bill, House Resolution 289, honors our Nation's community health 
centers and their invaluable contributions to thousands of Americans, 
perhaps millions of Americans, in need. Health centers provide primary 
and preventative medical, dental, and pharmaceutical services; and 
their work acts as a vital safety net in the health care delivery 
system.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge that we give this resolution immediate 
consideration.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as one who began much of what I would call my public 
career working in community health centers, I worked at the Martin 
Luther King Community Health Center, and I worked at the Miles Square 
Community Health Center, I was around during the days when we decided 
to organize a National Association of Community Health Centers and 
ultimately had the pleasure of serving as its president.
  And so, Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the proud sponsor of this 
resolution to establish a national community health center week.
  I would like to thank the cochairs of the Community Health Care 
Center Caucus, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Bonilla), and the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Capuano), for their constant voice to better 
community health centers.
  I would also like to thank the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. 
Bradley) for joining the cochairs of the caucus as a main sponsor of 
this legislation.

[[Page 17165]]

  As we continue to discuss health care, and as we continue hopefully 
to move towards enactment of a national health plan that covers 
everyone without regard to their ability to pay, we can take greet 
pride in some of our accomplishments in health care. One of the most 
important and effective accomplishments since the enactment of Medicare 
and Medicaid has been the development of community health centers.
  The community health center network is available throughout the 
Nation to help those in need, such as those who get displaced by job 
status or other economic conditions. Community health centers have 
become the safety net within the health care delivery system, serving 
more than 15 million people in over 3,600 communities.
  They care for one out of every seven uninsured individuals, one out 
of every nine Medicaid beneficiaries, one out of every seven people of 
color, and one out of every nine rural Americans. In addition they 
reach out to over 621,000 homeless persons and more than 709,000 
migrant and seasonal farm workers.
  Community health centers are established in almost every corner of 
our Nation, representing every aspect of any congressional district, 
whether it is assisting the working poor in the inner city, or in the 
rural farmland, migrant workers or even those who have insurance but do 
not have access to any other health facilities.
  One of the most amazing and important aspects of community health 
centers is the involvement of the community. Each center tailors its 
services to best meet the needs and priorities of the communities in 
which they reside. Citizens in these communities become active 
participants in their communities' health care decision-making.
  Health centers even provide approximately 100,000 jobs to the 
residents in communities of these areas. These health centers provide 
high-quality, cost-effective health care as they continue to meet 
escalating health needs and assist in reducing health disparities.
  With the weakened economy and soaring number of uninsured Americans, 
our Nation's health centers will continue to feel the brunt of 
increasing numbers of patients.
  By establishing a week to raise awareness of community health 
centers, we will also be highlighting each year the great 
accomplishments these nonprofit community-owned and -operated health 
centers offer to many communities throughout the Nation.
  With recent numbers indicating that the Nation's uninsured population 
is even higher than once thought, possibly as high as 60 million, if 
our Nation will not realize the need for universal health care, we need 
at least to realize the importance of funding our community health 
centers.
  The United States spends nearly $100 billion per year to provide 
uninsured residents with health services, oftentimes for preventable 
diseases that physicians could treat more efficiently with early 
diagnosis.
  Community health centers are one of the keys to such earlier 
diagnosis and crucial to lowering the overall cost of health care on 
the uninsured throughout the country.
  Therefore, I am pleased with the significant increase in the fiscal 
year 2006 budget that our community health centers will receive so that 
they can continue to serve their patients and expand their services.
  Mr. Speaker, community health centers are indeed the safety net which 
is committed to serving all individuals with the mission that everyone 
deserves quality health care services regardless of where they reside, 
whether or not they can pay, or whether or not they have insurance.
  They are vital to ensuring that even the poor and disadvantaged in 
this country have the greatest opportunity to be healthy. These centers 
are indeed a hallmark of our Nation's health care delivery system.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that I can stand and be a part of promoting 
the awareness or their existence and the accomplishments which they 
have achieved.
  I urge my colleagues to stand beside me in supporting this 
resolution, and I want to thank especially the gentleman from Virginia 
(Chairman Davis) the ranking member; the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Waxman); and the Speaker, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hastert), 
for helping to make sure that this resolution got to the floor before 
August, because that is the time that we celebrate the initiation and 
institution of these centers throughout the country.
  I also want to commend Tom Van Coverden, who is the president, and 
Mr. Hawkins, two individuals that I worked with when I used to work in 
the community health centers. They have both stayed all of that time. 
Tom is now the president and Dan Hawkins is the vice president. And I 
commend them for their longevity and great service.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I just want to take a moment to thank the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) for offering this important 
legislation and speaking so eloquently on it.
  The gentleman's passion for these important centers is evident in the 
words he said here today.
  Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H. Res. 289 
designating the week of August 7 as ``National Health Center Week''. 
Community Health Centers provide primary health services to low income, 
working poor, Medicaid and Medicare enrollees and uninsured 
individuals.
  Community Health Care Centers provide a larger range of services 
including primary care, cancer screenings, pre-natal care and emergency 
medical services in medically underserved communities without regard to 
the patient's ability to pay for the services. This past year almost 
35% of all Illinois health center patients were uninsured. Throughout 
the state of Illinois over 40 percent of those seeking services at 
community health centers are Medicaid eligible and health care centers 
are often the only medical support offered to homeless individuals.
  The first district in Illinois, which I have the honor and privilege 
to represent, has ten facilities as part of a statewide network of 250 
primary health care delivery sites that will serve 850,000 patients 
this year. My Illinois colleague, Representative Danny Davis, who 
introduced this resolution, credits the health centers for contributing 
to the health and well being of minority communities by keeping 
children healthy and providing preventive health care so that parents 
and adults can remain employed.
  These centers have significantly increased the availability of 
preventive health care for minorities, migrant and homeless individuals 
and families. I am glad to join my colleague in support of this 
resolution to recognize the efforts of the community based 
organizations in providing these important services.
  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H.R. 289, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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