Departments Of Labor, Health And Human Services, And Education, And Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010

Floor Speech

Departments Of Labor, Health And Human Services, And Education, And Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010

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Mr. COHEN. I rise to thank Chairman Obey for his inclusion of $1 million to be directed to the National Center for Health Statistics. This was requested in the hopes that it would end up with some funds being used to study enhanced birth certificates across the Nation.

The National Center for Health Statistics faces a funding shortage, inhibiting their ability to study these vital records which is a roadblock to understanding the high infant mortality rate that plagues our Nation, in particular my city of Memphis. We have a rate that is the highest in the country and rivals that of Third World nations. It's unacceptable in America.

It's these types of programs that will help move America forward. We must work together to lower our Nation's infant mortality rate. It starts with gaining a statistical knowledge of why these deaths occur. I wholeheartedly support Chairman Obey's inclusion of the funding for the National Center for Health Statistics, and I urge a ``yes'' vote on the bill.

Thank you for the time.

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