Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Physician Assistant Week, which is observed annually from October 6 through October 12. On October 6, 1967, the first PAs graduated from Duke University. Today, more than 40 years later, legions of practicing PAs have reached the number of over 83,000, and 307 million patients visited PAs last year alone. I know firsthand the key role of the PA profession in the delivery of care. Before serving in office, I worked for nearly a decade as a PA and served as a clinical instructor who trained future PAs. Created in response to a shortage of primary care physicians, the PA profession today is crucial to developing a strong primary care workforce. Not only do PAs provide high-quality, cost-effective care in virtually all health care settings, but PAs also extend the reach of medicine to underserved communities throughout the U.S. With health care reform expanding access to 33 million Americans, PAs are needed now more than ever. Mr. Speaker, as we mark the final day of PA week, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the contribution, as well as the promise, of the PA profession. ____________________”