Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the co-chairs of this caucus for forming the Rural Health Caucus, something that is long overdue and very much needed. Mr. Speaker, this Rural Health Month, I am thrilled to join my colleagues in the bipartisan Rural Health Caucus to advocate for quality, affordable healthcare in every community. Our neighbors living in rural areas face unique health challenges, a substantial one of those being medical personnel shortages. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 26 percent of residents live in federally designated Health Professional Shortage Areas, meaning that nearly one-third of Pennsylvanians live in an area without sufficient medical personnel. I don't know the last time you went to Pennsylvania, but it is a big State. If you are in a part of the State that doesn't have a lot of healthcare professionals, you are looking at long drives before you can get to a doctor or hospital. Preventive care is critical to overall health and well-being, and access to preventive care relies upon having an adequate number of medical professionals. Having an adequate number of medical professionals relies upon not being penalized for serving as a teaching hospital. It is unbelievable to me that this is a problem that Pennsylvania rural hospitals are facing. That is why I partnered with Representative Meuser to introduce the bipartisan Fairness for Rural Teaching Hospitals Act. This bill would allow rural hospitals, including St.…”