Mike Capuano: “this is a very small problem, but a very big problem to a handful of small people that need our help. Basically, there…”

“this is a very small problem, but a very big problem to a handful of small people that need our help. Basically, there is a program now run out of the CDC. It is called Reach 2010. It allows community-based coalitions, mostly community health centers, to focus on eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities in six priority areas: infant mortality, breast and cervical cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, HIV-AIDS and child immunizations. The reason this issue has come up is because in the last several years this program has received money from the NIH National Center For Minority Health and Health Disparities. But because of the budget crunches they have faced, they have let it be known they intend to cut back their portion of the program, which will definitely cut programs on the street that are truly helping people. This proposal would restore that $5 million into the CDC budget by reducing another part of the budget that, even with this cut, will still be $50 million above the President's request. I know most Members already know there are health disparities in the country, but just a few statistics to frame the debate. When it comes to infant mortality, black infants are 2.3 times more likely to die than white infants. Cardiovascular disease, African Americans have a 30 percent higher rate of cardiovascular disease and a 41 percent higher rate of strokes.…”