House Proceeding on Dec 6th, 2006 :: 5:54:27 to 6:09:27
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5:52:57 to 5:54:27( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: John Kline

5:54:09 to 5:54:27( Edit History Discussion )

John Kline: you want your community to have that future, you've got to have hospital doors that remain open, physicians and communities, home health care, nursing home care otherwise our senior citizens

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John Jr.Conyers: that make up a large portion of our population will reluctantly move away and young families will decide we can't take the risk of living in a community that does not allow our children treated

5:54:27 to 6:09:27( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: John Jr.Conyers

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John Jr.Conyers: with adequate medical facilities. the j-1 visa program is one step in that direction that needs to be there. it needs to be in place. and i'm pleased that the committee has recognized its

5:54:55 to 5:55:06( Edit History Discussion )

John T. Salazar: importance. the physician shortage that has been mentioned is real. in fact, the u.s. department of health and human services estimates although 1/4 of our population of our country lives

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John T. Salazar: in rural america, only 10% of the physicians serve that population. we have a tremendous gap. the unique thing about this as is with many rural health care issues is it brings urban members of congress

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John T. Salazar: and rural members of congress together because our needs are so identical. we are so underserved that the core center of cities and most unpopulated areas of the country face the same

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John T. Salazar: challenges. how do we meet the health care needs of americans who choose to live where they live. kansas has recruited 66 physicians since 2002 when we developed our state program and it has made

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John T. Salazar: a difference. rush county memorial hospital has had three j-1 visa physicians. those j-1 visa doctors have attracted three mid level practitioners. the most recent success the united methodist

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John T. Salazar: mexican american ministries where they recruited a j-1 visa doctor from peru who can address the needs of the hispanic members of the community in southwest kansas. it is wonderful to have

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a bilingual j-1 visa doctor there are issues we would like to work on to address the distribution of j-1 visa physicians. this program is important. it saves lives. it is often the only

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health care opportunities many americans will receive and the j-1 visa program is about good health and saving lives. yields back the balance of his time. -- i yield back the balance of

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my time. the speaker pro tempore: who seeks time in this debate? mr. conyers: mr. speaker, i would like to yield to the distinguished the gentlelady is recognized texas, sheila jackson lee, the ranking

5:57:11 to 5:57:25( Edit History Discussion )

member on immigration and judiciary committee as much time as she may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from texas is recognized. ms. jackson lee: i look forward to the

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member's leadership in the 110th congress. i thank the full committee chairman as well. i pay great respect to my good friend from kansas mr. moran, in his leadership and authoring of this bill

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John T. Salazar: and careful, meticulous work with the committee of jurisdiction, the judiciary committee and the subcommittee on immigration and claims. this is what you call a stellar example 0 of real immigration

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John T. Salazar: reform, rational, reasonable thinking, putting immigration in a good light. and it is a right light and positive light and it is as mr. moran said about good health care. i'm delighted to

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John T. Salazar: hear his noted examples that this is a real question for good health care in america. the physicians for underserved areas act that i have worked on with the chairman of the subcommittee

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John T. Salazar: mr. hostettler, would reinstate and extend the j-1 visa waiver program. foreign doctors who want to receive medical training are required to leave the country afterwards. they must return to

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John T. Salazar: their own countries for two years before they receive a visa to work in the united states as physicians. in 1994 congress established a waiver of this requirement the waiver is variable

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John T. Salazar: to doctors who will commit to practicing medicine for no less than three years in a geographic area designated as having a shortage of health care professionals. good news is that it is

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John T. Salazar: both in rural and urban areas that we can find this very vital and important tool. just a few weeks ago i saw a doctor's hospital in houston literally shut down. shut down for a number of reasons.

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John T. Salazar: management care problems. but that means those doctors would be scattered in many different places, urban areas can be the vice presidents of lack of doctors. the waiver -- of victims of

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John T. Salazar: lack of doctors. the waiver program allows up to 30 physicians to work in medically underserved areas. it is sunsetted on june 1 of this year. that is why we need the physicians for underserved

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John T. Salazar: areas act to reinstate the program for two years this is the second time we have co-sponsored this extension with mr. hostettler. we have a long standing commitment to ensuring legislation that

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John T. Salazar: can be bipartisan moves through this committee and the full committee. the need for physicians in underserved area is not a partisan issue. the conrad program is reflected that senator

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John T. Salazar: conrad established it. senator conrad and i worked on the program. we decided more data is needed on the program. we asked the general accountability office to investigate the implementation. g.a.o.

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Geoff Davis: issued a report in november of this year. g.a.o. found it is a major means of providing physicians to practice in underserved areas of the united states. more than 1,000 waivers were requested

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Geoff Davis: in fiscal years 2003 through 2005 by states and three federal agencies. g.a.o. also found the present system of providing 30 waivers per state is not working. a substantial percentage of

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Geoff Davis: states do not need 30 waivers. there were 664 unused waivers in f.y. 2005. the states that report needing more than 30 waivers only want between five and 50 more physicians. those in favor

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Geoff Davis: will vote aye need cans be met by redistributing some of the unused waivers. this must be don't carefully. some states expressed concern about redistributing. they were afraid physicians would

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Geoff Davis: wait and apply for more popular states. this problem has to be resolved before we can move forward with a redistribution plan. that was a very important issue for some states such as texas.

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Geoff Davis: but out of a commitment to bipartisanship and the recognition that the j-1 visa extension is so crucial to the health needs of so many americans, we have come together to look forward into

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Geoff Davis: the 110th congress for the leaders who are going forward on this issue to begin to address how do we make more fair the redistribution of these visas and to ensure the best health care for americans.

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John Jr.Conyers: we are hoping that the other body will see the wisdom of delaying this issue, of which hospitals in the state of texas have worked very hard on. i want to make it very clear i look forward to

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John Jr.Conyers: working with hospitals around america to ensure this redistribution process is fairly put in place so that we will have the kind of doctor dribs that will help all of us. let me also acknowledge

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John Jr.Conyers: as i bring my remarks to a close, that although this is a bill that simply generates an extension, might i say to you this has been a long journey to come this far. i want to thank all of

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John Jr.Conyers: the stf staff. i want to thank, of course, mr. pomeroy who i hope will make remarks. mr. moran, as i said the chair in the full committee and the chair of the ranking member. as i close,

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John Jr.Conyers: let me acknowledge the fact this may be the last bill i will have to opportunity working with mr. hostettler on. i want to acknowledge his integrity and his commitment and dedication to

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John Jr.Conyers: important principles and his work on this particular legislation as we work together and thank him for his service and also his attentive concern. to legislation we hope will be seen in the

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John Jr.Conyers: next congress, the energy workers compensation bill we had five hearings on the last yesterday and that will help to compensate many victims. i conclude by thanking sponsors and saying this

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John Jr.Conyers: is a good bill. i yield back. . the speaker pro tempore: who seeks time in this debate? mr. conyers: i want to recognize mr. pomeroy who is the co-sponsor of this -- original co-sponsor

6:04:57 to 6:05:10( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: of this legislation, as much time as he may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. pomeroy: i thank the gentleman for yielding, and i want to congratulate the

6:05:10 to 6:05:26( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: gentlewoman from texas, ms. sheila jackson lee, especially with the cooperation of mr. hostettler. because of the work of the chairman and the persist ept advocacy of the gentlelady, i

6:05:26 to 6:05:41( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: want to thank them. what impresses me in particular is the gentlelady's agreement to advance this forward even though it was not reformed in ways that she had sought. for rural areas, this was just so

6:05:41 to 6:05:55( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: urgent, and we're really pleased that we can get this done even as the session comes to conclusion. you see, we have trouble in rural areas. we have trouble getting doctors that we need to practice

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John Jr.Conyers: there. and this conrad 30 program has played an incredibly important role in getting doctors into areas who need them in rural america. in fact the physician practice vacancies in north dakota

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John Jr.Conyers: had been cut roughly in half out in the rural areas as a result of this program. this program -- if this program were to expire, we would literally have hospitals without doctors, we would have

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John Jr.Conyers: people without the care they need. frankly, we would have lives lost. because when you're getting into areas of western kansas or north dakota, you're talking about vast reaches of territory

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John Jr.Conyers: that take considerable time to cross before you can get someone who may have an emergency medical condition to an urban center where they might be treated. so this program, which is tried,

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John Jr.Conyers: true, tested and part of the landscape, is about to expire. again, to sum up, continueation of it continues what we've got. we've agreed, i've agreed with the gentlelady to take a look at how

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John Jr.Conyers: we reform it in ways that respond to her concerns. but i'm just so pleased that she's agreed to move this forward and also pleased with the working relationship she has with chairman hostettler.

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John Jr.Conyers: at this point in his career he's glad this has come to the floor for its conclusion. good for you, ms. jackson lee and good for you, chairman hostettler. this is what the rural areas needs.

6:07:41 to 6:07:53( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. who seeks time in this debate? mr. conyers: mr. speaker, i would yield 30 seconds to the gentlelady from texas. the speaker pro

6:07:53 to 6:08:06( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: tempore: the gentlelady is recognized for 30 seconds. ms. jackson lee: thank you. i would like to add my appreciation to the staff, majority and minority who helped in the waining areas of this

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John Jr.Conyers: particular congress, the 109th congress, to move this bill to suspension and move it forward. i do thank christian wells and nolan rappaport for their excellent cooperation on the minority

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John Jr.Conyers: staff in generating what i think is an important extension for doctors across america. i yield back to the gentleman. mr. conyers: mr. speaker, i yield back the balance of our time. the speaker

6:08:37 to 6:08:50( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: pro tempore: the gentleman has yielded back the baffle his time. the gentleman from wisconsin is recognized. mr. sensenbrenner: i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: all time has expired in

6:08:50 to 6:09:02( Edit History Discussion )

John Jr.Conyers: this debate. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 4997 as amended. those in favor, say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 of those voting

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John Jr.Conyers: having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. without objection, the title is amended.

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John Jr.Conyers: for what purpose does the gentleman from wisconsin seek recognition. mr. sensenbrenner: mr. speaker, i move that the house suspend the rules and pass the bill senate 444, the relidge ost -- 4044,

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F. James Jr.Sensenbrenner: the religious liberty and charitable donation clarification act of 2006. the clerk: senate 4044, an act to clarify the treatment of certain charitable contributions under title 1 united states

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Speech By: F. James Jr.Sensenbrenner