On July 21, the House approved, by voice vote, a resolution (H. Res. 240) establishing National Community Health Centers Week, August 10-17, 2003. Sponsored by Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL), the resolution is intended to raise awareness of services provided by community, migrant, public housing, and homeless health centers.
The resolution highlights the role of community health centers in providing “cost-effective, high quality health care” to more than thirteen million Americans, including the poor, uninsured and homeless. Funded in part by the federal government, community health centers also offer preventive health services such as immunizations, mammograms, and patient education programs.
Rep. Christopher Shays (R-CT) urged support of the resolution, noting that “care centers welcome all patients, regardless of their health coverage or ability to pay.”
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) cited the “critical” work being done by the centers. “At a time when over 40 million Americans lack access to comprehensive health care,” she said, “community health centers across the country are left to fill the growing void in health service provision.”
