Senate Resolution 357 - Designating the Week of August 8 Through August 14, 2004 as "National Health Center Week"

SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS: SENATE RESOLUTION 357-DESIGNATING THE WEEK OF AUGUST 8 THROUGH AUGUST 14, 2004, AS "NATIONAL HEALTH CENTER WEEK"

Mr. CAMPBELL (for himself, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. BOND, Mr. HOLLINGS, Mr. KERRY, Mr. BUNNING, Mr. BIDEN, Mrs. MURRAY, Mrs. LINCOLN, Ms. LANDRIEU, Mr. GRASSLEY, Mr. DOMENICI, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. BURNS, Mr. INHOFE, Mr. TALENT, Mr. BENNETT, Mr. JOHNSON, Mr. LUGAR, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. DASCHLE, Mr. DAYTON, Mr. CORZINE, Mr. KENNEDY, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. COCHRAN, Mr. SMITH, Mr. FEINGOLD, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. INOUYE, Mr. ENZI, Mr. LIEBERMAN, Mr. WYDEN, and Mr. DODD) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

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 15,000,000 people in over 3,500 communities in every State and territory, spanning urban and rural communities in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands;

Whereas these 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, meeting escalating health needs, and reducing health disparities;

Whereas these health centers provide care to individuals in the United States who would otherwise lack access to health care, including 1 of every 8 uninsured individuals, 1 of every 9 Medicaid beneficiaries, 1 of every 7 people of color, and 1 of every 9 rural Americans;

Whereas these health centers and other innovative programs in primary and preventive care reach out to over 621,000 homeless individuals and more than 709,000 migrant and seasonal 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, 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 between 10 and 40 percent;

Whereas these health centers are built by community initiative;

Whereas Federal grants provide seed money that empowers communities to find partners and resources and to recruit doctors and needed health professionals;

Whereas Federal grants on average form 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 these health centers are community oriented and patient focused;

Whereas these health centers tailor their services to fit the special needs and priorities of communities, working together with schools, businesses, churches, community organizations, foundations, and State and local governments;

Whereas these 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 these health centers engage citizen participation and provide jobs for over 70,000 community residents; and

Whereas designating the week of August 8 through August 14, 2004, as "National Health Center Week" would raise awareness of the health services provided by health centers: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate-

(1) designates the week of August 8 through August 14, 2004, as "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.

Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, today I am submitting a resolution declaring the week of August 8, 2004, as a National Health Center Week dedicated to raising awareness of health services provided by community, migrant, public housing, and homeless health centers. I am pleased to be joined in this effort by Senator Durbin and 31 of our colleagues.

The resolution expresses the sense of Congress that these 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.

The resolution also recognizes health centers for providing cost-effective, high-quality health care to the Nation's poor and medically underserved, and by acting as a vital safety net in the Nation's health delivery system. These nonprofit, community-based centers are performing a vital service to our country's more vulnerable populations and they are to be commended for their efforts.

Health centers throughout the country have a 30-year history of success. Studies continue to show that the centers effectively and efficiently improve our Nation's health.

Last year, the community health centers in my State of Colorado provided care to 372,000 patients, and 41 percent of those patients were children under the age of 19. Of the patients seen in Colorado in 2003, 45 percent had no health insurance, 30 percent were Medicaid recipients and 87 percent had family incomes less than $36,200 a year for a family of four. Community health centers are truly America's healthcare safety net.

I believe it is important that we support and honor this nationwide network of community based providers. That is why I urge my colleagues to act quickly on this legislation. Let's show our community health center network that we value its significant contribution to the health of our citizens by declaring the week of August 8, 2004, a National Health Center Week.