Frank Pallone: “It is good to see my colleague from New Jersey in the chair. And I thank Chairwoman Lowey for yielding. She is my…”

“It is good to see my colleague from New Jersey in the chair. And I thank Chairwoman Lowey for yielding. She is my classmate. There aren't too many of us left, but it is good to see her there. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4378, the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2020, and Health Extenders Act of 2019. I am particularly pleased that H.R. 4378 includes a provision that will increase enrollment numbers for the 9/11 World Trade Center Health Program, which provides healthcare and treatment for responders and survivors. Since being notified 2 weeks ago that this program is approaching enrollment capacity, I have been working with my colleagues in the House and the Senate, as well as the administration, to come to an agreement to raise the enrollment cap in order to guarantee that new enrollees will continue to have access to treatment. We were able to quickly come together on an agreement so that new enrollees will access this program for many years to come. The bill, H.R. 4378, also includes temporary funding extensions for several Medicare extenders and public health programs, including funding for community health centers, Medicaid funding for Puerto Rico and the U.S. territories, and the demonstration program for certified community behavioral health clinics. This temporary patch will protect Americans' access to these vital programs while Congress works toward a long-term agreement.…”