Statement of Tom Van Coverden on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
On behalf of America’s Health Centers, we applaud the U.S. Senate for passing H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. We are deeply grateful that the Senate version of the economic recovery package allocates $1.87 billion to expand the reach of health centers to more people in need and strengthens public insurance programs for low-income Americans while making a solid investment in health information systems that will boost health care and make it more cost-efficient.
In these challenging times, our health centers stand ready to keep people healthy by expanding access to care at a time when people are losing their health insurance, along with their jobs. Now more than ever, people must have a health care home where they are welcome and where insurance status does not matter. At the same time, health centers can play a critical role in improving our nation’s health -- by creating jobs and economic activity in our most economically deprived communities. The economic development impact of health centers nationwide totals $12.6 billion, accounting for 143,000 jobs, while creating cost-savings for the entire U.S. health care system.
We thank all 61 Senators who voted in favor of the bill – with special gratitude to U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), U.S. Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO), U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI) for their hard work in securing this investment. It was especially poignant to see U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA), the first legislative champion of Community Health Centers at the program’s inception in 1965, return to Washington to cast a vote today even as he battles brain cancer.
Much work remains, but we are pleased and thankful that the Senate has recognized the value of investing in America’s Health Centers and their focus on accessible, cost-effective, quality primary care.
