[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5947]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         MINORITY HEALTH MONTH

  (Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Congresswoman Lee and 
myself, I rise to commemorate April as the 13th annual Minority Health 
Month.
  Before 2001, there was no national conversation about health 
disparities. Since then, the Congressional Tri-Caucus has been tireless 
in efforts to educate Congress and the country about the 
disproportionate burden of premature death and preventable illness in 
our minority communities.
  Due to the advocacy of the Tri-Caucus, the ACA contained ground-
breaking policies to reduce disparities, such as expanding Medicaid 
eligibility, increasing resources for community health clinics, and 
institutionalizing Federal efforts to achieve health equity.
  In spite of these important advancements, more must be done. It is 
critical to adequately fund proven health equity programs and pass the 
next steps of the Tri-Caucus Health Equity bill, which, on behalf of 
the Tri-Caucus, I will introduce this fall.
  Health justice will be achieved when every man, woman, and child in 
America has an equal opportunity to live a healthy life, regardless of 
who they are or where they live.

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