Political Quotes

“Today our country faces significant labor shortages in occupations that are vital to our educational, health and, therefore, our national security. I believe the list of health occupations for which national need exists must also include physical therapists. Recent reports have shown that our country does not have an adequate number of physical therapists to meet our growing needs. According to the American Hospital Association, therapists represent the occupation for which the greatest percentage of vacancies exist in our hospitals across our Nation, at an 11.4 percent vacancy rate. This is at a time when the demand for physical therapist employment is projected to grow 27 percent within 8 years, even as 58 percent of our hospitals are reporting in 2006 that therapist recruitment was more difficult than the year before. I, therefore, believe it is imperative we add physical therapists in the area of national need to ensure the Secretary of Education has direction to provide loan repayment to physical therapists.”