IV 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 289
Supporting the goals and ideals of National Health Center Week in order 
to raise awareness of health services provided by community, migrant, 
public housing, and homeless health centers, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 19, 2005
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois (for himself, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. 
BONILLA, and Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Government Reform 
RESOLUTION 
Supporting the goals and ideals of National Health Center 
Week in order to raise awareness of health services pro-
vided by community, migrant, public housing, and home-
less health centers, and for other purposes.
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; 
Whereas there are more than 1,000 such health centers serv-
ing more than 15,000,000 people in over 3,600 commu-
nities;
•HRES 289 IH 
Whereas such health centers are found in 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; 
Whereas these health centers provide care to 1 of every 7 un-
insured individuals, 1 of every 9 Medicaid beneficiaries, 
1 of every 7 people of color, and 1 of every 9 rural Amer-
icans, all of whom would otherwise lack access to health 
care; 
Whereas these health centers are engaged with other innova-
tive programs in primary and preventive care to reach 
out to over 621,000 homeless persons and more than 
709,000 farm workers; 
Whereas these health centers make health care responsive 
and cost-effective by integrating the delivery of primary 
care with aggressive outreach, patient education, trans-
portation, translation, 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, in-
fant mortality rates have been reduced over the past 4 
years even as infant mortality rates across the country 
have risen; 
Whereas these health centers are built by community initia-
tive, and run by the patients they serve;
•HRES 289 IH 
Whereas Federal grants provide seed money empowering 
communities to find partners and resources to recruit 
doctors and needed health professionals; 
Whereas Federal grants on average contribute 25 percent of 
such a health center’s budget, with the remainder pro-
vided by State and local governments, Medicare, Med-
icaid, private contributions, private insurance, and pa-
tient fees; 
Whereas there are more than 100 health centers that receive 
no Federal grant funding, yet continue to serve their 
communities regardless of their patients’ ability to pay; 
Whereas all health centers tailor their services to fit the spe-
cial needs and priorities of their communities, working 
together with schools, businesses, churches, community 
organizations, foundations, and State and local govern-
ments; 
Whereas all health centers contribute to the health and well-
being of their communities by keeping children healthy 
and in school and helping adults remain productive and 
on the job; 
Whereas all health centers encourage citizen participation 
and provide jobs for nearly 100,000 community residents; 
and 
Whereas the designation of the week of August 7, 2005, as 
‘‘National Health Center Week’’ would raise awareness of 
the health services provided by all health centers: Now, 
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) supports the goals and ideals of National 
Health Center Week; and
•HRES 289 IH 
(2) requests that the President issue a procla-
mation calling upon the people of the United States 
to observe the week with appropriate ceremonies and 
activities.
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