Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Rural Health Day. Approximately, one-fifth of America and about one in three Oregonians lives in a rural or frontier community. However, many rural areas do not have enough providers or facilities to meet community needs, forcing residents to travel long distances and requiring time off of work. Your Zip Code should not prevent you from accessing potentially lifesaving care. As a founding member of the Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus, I have championed several pieces of legislation that will help close these gaps and ensure rural America is not left behind. For example, my Home-Based Telemental Health Care Act would expand access to virtual mental health and substance use treatment services in rural communities. In addition to making it easier and cheaper for folks to see a provider, the bill would also help reduce stigma by allowing people to get care from the comfort and safety of their own homes. This is just one commonsense idea among many I have supported to expand access to healthcare in our rural communities. As we approach the start of a new Congress, I remain committed to working with anyone on both sides of the aisle who is serious about finding solutions to the mental health and addiction crisis. Every American deserves high quality, affordable healthcare regardless of where they live. ____________________”