IV 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 646 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that there should 
be established a National Community Health Center Week to raise aware-
ness of health services provided by community, migrant, public housing, 
and homeless health centers. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 18, 2004 
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois (for himself, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. 
BONILLA, Mr. ROSS, Mr. OWENS, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Mr. 
MATSUI, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mr. BALLANCE, Mr. LYNCH, Mr. 
ABERCROMBIE, Mr. CASE, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. JOHN, Mr. MEEHAN, Mr. 
SERRANO, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. STENHOLM, Mr. WAXMAN, 
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr. MCINTYRE, Mr. MCGOV-
ERN, Mr. BELL, Mr. CONYERS, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. CARDOZA, Mr. 
SANDERS, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. BEREUTER, and 
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi) submitted the following resolution; which 
was referred to the Committee on Government Reform 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 
there should be established a National Community 
Health Center Week to raise awareness of health services 
provided by community, migrant, public housing, and 
homeless health centers. 
Whereas community, migrant, public housing, and homeless 
health centers are nonprofit, community owned and oper-
ated health providers and are vital to the Nation’s com-
munities;
•HRES 646 IH 
Whereas there are more than 1,000 such health centers serv-
ing 15,000,000 people in over 3,500 urban and rural 
communities in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, 
Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands; 
Whereas such health centers have provided cost-effective, 
high-quality health care to the Nation’s poor and medi-
cally underserved (including the working poor, the unin-
sured, and many high-risk and vulnerable populations), 
acting as a vital safety net in the Nation’s health delivery 
system, meeting escalating health needs, and reducing 
health disparities; 
Whereas these health centers provide care to individuals in 
the United States who would otherwise lack access to 
health care, including 1 of every 8 uninsured individuals, 
1 of every 9 Medicaid beneficiaries, 1 of every 7 people 
of color, and 1 of every 9 rural Americans; 
Whereas these health centers and other innovative programs 
in primary and preventive care reach out to over 621,000 
homeless persons and more than 709,000 migrant and 
seasonal farmworkers; 
Whereas these health centers make health care responsive 
and cost effective by integrating the delivery of primary 
care with aggressive outreach, patient education, trans-
lation, and enabling support services; 
Whereas these health centers increase the use of preventive 
health services such as immunizations, Pap smears, 
mammograms, and glaucoma screenings; 
Whereas in communities served by these health centers infant 
mortality rates have been reduced between 10 and 40 
percent;
•HRES 646 IH 
Whereas these health centers are built by community initia-
tive; 
Whereas Federal grants provide seed money empowering 
communities to find partners and resources and to re-
cruit doctors and needed health professionals; 
Whereas Federal grants on average form 25 percent of such 
a health center’s budget, with the remainder provided by 
State and local governments, Medicare, Medicaid, private 
contributions, private insurance, and patient fees; 
Whereas these health centers are community oriented and pa-
tient focused; 
Whereas these health centers tailor their services to fit the 
special needs and priorities of communities, working to-
gether with schools, businesses, churches, community or-
ganizations, foundations, and State and local govern-
ments; 
Whereas these health centers contribute to the health and 
well-being of their communities by keeping children 
healthy and in school and helping adults remain produc-
tive and on the job; 
Whereas these health centers engage citizen participation and 
provide jobs for over 70,000 community residents; and 
Whereas the establishment of a ‘‘National Health Center 
Week’’ for the week beginning August 8, 2004, would 
raise awareness of the health services provided by health 
centers: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep-
resentatives that— 
(1) there should be established a ‘‘National 
Health Center Week’’ to raise awareness of the
•HRES 646 IH 
health services provided by community, migrant, 
public housing, and homeless health centers; and 
(2) the President should issue a proclamation 
calling on the people of the United States and inter-
ested organizations to observe such a week with ap-
propriate programs and activities. 
Æ