A Win for Pediatric Care, House Approves Bipartisan Children's Hospital Graduate Medical Education Support Reauthorization Act

Statement

The House of Representatives today approved S. 1557, the Children's Hospital Graduate Medical Education Support Reauthorization Act. This legislation was championed in the House by Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Chairman Joe Pitts (R-PA) and Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and authored by Senator Bob Casey (D-PA). This bill, first passed in 1999, provides support to children's hospitals for their pediatric medical residency programs.

"Children need doctors trained just to treat them. Nationwide, this program supports the training of more than 5,000 doctors. Locally in my area of Pennsylvania, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia participates in the program, and I have had the privilege of visiting the hospital a number of times and meeting with the young patients and the doctors learning how to treat them," said Health Subcommittee Chairman Joe Pitts (R-PA). "This is yet another bipartisan bill that we've successfully moved through the Health Subcommittee that's proved that despite our differences we can find common ground and work together on legislation in a bipartisan way to help Americans stay healthy."

"Too many children in the United States already lack access to a pediatrician or doctor trained in pediatric sub-specialty. If we choose not to reauthorize this program, we will once again face a shortage of pediatric providers," said Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI). "In an effort to keep this program focused on its original goal -- training pediatric providers -- I am also pleased that the Government Accountability Office will review the implementation of this bill to ensure that resources are being used most effectively."

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