On the recordMay 24, 2011
I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the rule and the underlying legislation. H.R. 1216 would put the future primary care workforce into question. The Affordable Care Act included critical funding for several grant programs designed to increase the size of the health care workforce and, specifically, to increase the number of general practice and primary care physicians. Primary care has long been neglected in our country and it has been well documented that our country faces a looming shortage of primary care providers. The Affordable Care Act will help train and develop 16,000 new primary care providers. That means 16,000 more primary care doctors to help keep our children and families healthy, as studies strongly associate healthier outcomes with regular access to care. Unfortunately, the bill before us would call all of this into question. If this bill were enacted, we would no longer have the pipeline of primary care providers to meet demand and we would continue the status quo, which for too many is either foregoing care or seeking care in the emergency room. This perpetuates the onset of chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. This is increasing costs and costing lives. I urge my colleagues to reject this rule and to vote down this bill for the future of our physical and fiscal health of our constituents and our country.
