Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, currently Federal statute deters through omission the incorporation of dental professionals and schools into emergency response plans. H.R. 570 would remedy this omission by incorporating dentistry by name into the Federal disaster response framework. This legislation is endorsed by the American Dental Association and the Academy of General Dentistry, and it passed the House last year on a voice vote. It recently passed the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Health Subcommittee, and the full committee, on a voice vote, and 19 members of the Energy and Commerce Committee are currently cosponsors. In the aftermath of a natural disaster, terrorist attack, or public health emergency, traditional medical delivery systems can become overwhelmed. In these situations it is vital that States work with all qualified and licensed providers to ensure a volunteer workforce to assist in the mitigation of that tragedy. Dentists receive sound general medical background during their professional education and are equipped to take patient medical histories, administer injections, and triage patients. This legislation calls for no new Federal money and poses no new restrictions on moneys now being spent. It simply allows States, at their option, to incorporate dentists and dental facilities into their planning.…”