Jay Rockefeller: “today I rise with Senators Inouye and Sanders to introduce a very important bill--the Build, Update, Improve, Lift, and…”

“today I rise with Senators Inouye and Sanders to introduce a very important bill--the Build, Update, Improve, Lift, and Design Health Centers Act of 2007. Also known as the BUILD Act, this legislation would provide building grants and loan guarantees to community health centers qualified under Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act. This widely-needed source of funding would be used for clinic renovation, replacement, modernization, and/or expansion in order to support community health centers in their on-going efforts to deliver high-quality health care in medically underserved areas. Research from the National Association of Community Health Centers and the Robert Graham Center indicates that there are 56 million Americans that do not have access to a primary care provider, regardless of insurance. Another 45 million Americans lack health insurance or the funds to pay out-of-pocket for their basic health care needs. This means that more than 100 million Americans do not get the medical treatment they need each year. Established over 40 years ago, community health centers are the backbone of America's health care safety net. Encompassing a network of over 1,000 centers, they provide much needed care to nearly 16 million people each year, including one in five children. 40 percent of health center patients are uninsured while Medicaid and CHIP cover approximately 36 percent. More than 70 percent of patients live in poverty.”