Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Gene Green (D-TX) delivered the following opening remarks at a Subcommittee Markup of five bipartisan public health bills:
Thank you Mr. Chairman. The Health Subcommittee is marking up five bipartisan bills to improve public health, support our health care system and ensure we continue to invest in workforce development.
These bills - the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act, the National Diabetes Clinical Care Commission Act, the Improving Access to Maternity Care Act, the Mental Health First Aid Act, and the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act - add to this committee’s record of moving bipartisan legislation. I want to thank the sponsors and leaders on this committee for advancing each bill.
H.R. 4365, the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act, led by Representatives G.K. Butterfield and Richard Hudson, will clarify that emergency medical service (EMS) personnel can administer controlled substances under a standing order from an EMS medical director.
Codifying this current practice will ensure that patients have timely access to often life-saving drugs in an emergency situation and our EMS providers can deliver such care in a safe manner.
H.R. 1192, the National Diabetes Clinical Care Commission Act is championed by Representatives Pete Olson and Dave Loebsack.
The bill will establish a National Diabetes Clinical Care Commission to improve care for individuals with diabetes and associated conditions.
More than 29 million Americans are living with diabetes, and almost 90 million more are pre-diabetic.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 20 percent of all health care spending is for people with diagnosed diabetes.
This commission will enable us to coordinate efforts and leverage precious resources, which will allow us to better address the economic and human impact caused by diabetes and other disorders.
H.R. 1209, the Improving Access to Maternity Care Act is sponsored by Representatives Mike Burgess and Lois Capps.
This legislation aims to expand access to maternity care services by better identifying areas with maternity care shortage.
Under this bill, we will be able to identify what constitutes a shortage of providers of maternity services and identify geographic shortage areas within the existing Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas designation.
H.R. 1877, the Mental Health First Aid Act is an important bill to allow for continued funding of the Mental Health First Aid grant programs.
It is sponsored by Representatives Doris Matsui and Lynn Jenkins.
Mental Health First Aid investments enable law enforcement, first responders, teachers, and members of the community to receive training on appropriate responses to an individual experiencing an episode of mental illness.
To date, nearly 375,000 people have been trained in Mental Health First Aid through these grants.
This legislation builds on the successful track-record of supporting evidenced-based programs, and makes targeted improvements so we can better serve those struggling with mental illness.
H.R. 2713, the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act will reauthorize and update nurse workforce programs under Title VIII, which supports nurses practicing in medically underserved communities and rural areas, advanced education nursing, the National Nurse Service Corp, nurse faculty loan forgiveness, and diversity grants.
Title VIII programs have a long-standing history of bipartisan support and real world impact.
Nurses play a critical and growing role in our health care system, and this bill ensures our key investments in the nursing workforce will continue in a manner that reflects advancements in the field of nursing.
I want to particularly thank Representative Lois Capps for sponsoring this legislation, and for being a tireless champion of nursing and the patients they serve.
I am pleased to support all of the bills we are considering today, and want to thank the sponsors for their commitment and efforts to improve public health and access to care.
Thank you Mr. Chairman and I yield back.
