Frank Pallone

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), the sponsor of the legislation.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I have no additional speakers. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Kelly), the sponsor of the bill.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3131) to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for research and improvement of cardiovascular health among the South Asian population of the United States, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3131.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and tragically, the risk of heart disease death differs dramatically by race and ethnicity. Overall, racial and ethnic minorities have an elevated risk of morbidity and mortality due to heart disease. Racial and ethnic minorities confront more barriers to heart health care than White Americans, including higher comorbidity rates, less culturally competent care, and fewer proactive heart health interventions. This bill, the South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act of 2020, directs the Department of Health and Human Services to build on current heart disease programs to improve further heart health awareness, education, training, and research for groups disproportionately affected by heart disease. In November 2019, the American Heart Association and other medical groups issued updated cholesterol guidelines that, for the first time, urged doctors to consider ethnicity when determining a patient's cardiovascular risk and treatment options. This bill builds upon the work of determined medical partners like the American Heart Association to provide more resources for States that wish to expand their heart health programs. This bill would not be on the floor today without the determined effort of Congresswoman Jayapal, and I commend her for her leadership on this. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3131. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Jayapal), who is the sponsor of the bill.

Mr. PALLONE. I urge support of this the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time, Madam Speaker.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2468) to amend the Public Health Service Act to increase the preference given, in awarding certain allergies and asthma-related grants, to States that require certain public schools to have allergies and asthma management programs, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 2468.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, more than 8 percent of children in the U.S. under the age of 18 live with asthma. For these children and children with respiratory issues caused by asthma, access to appropriate treatment and trained personnel can mean the difference between life and death in emergency situations. In 2004, Congress authorized children's asthma treatment grants to expand access to medical care for children who live in areas with a prevalence of asthma. Today, CDC provides financial assistance to health departments in 24 States and Puerto Rico to ensure that guidelines-based medical management and pharmacotherapy for those with asthma are both available and accessible. The CDC also offers funding to State programs and national organizations promoting asthma quality measures and informing policymakers about the burden of asthma. H.R. 2468, the School-Based Allergies and Management Program Act, takes the most recent data and builds on this program to make it work best for kids and schools today. To achieve this, preference will be given for certain grants to States that require schools to have a school-based allergies and asthma program, as well as the presence of a school nurse or other trained personnel who can support students and staff treat those with allergies and asthma. Helping States and schools to better support students and families treat asthma and allergies is critical to the health and well-being of our students, and this bill will go a long way towards achieving this goal. Madam Speaker, I want to thank Majority Leader Hoyer for his leadership on this bill as well as our colleague, Representative Roe. I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), who is our majority leader.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5572) to establish a grant program for family community organizations that provide support for individuals struggling with substance use disorder and their families, as amended.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2075, the School-Based Health Centers Reauthorization Act, which reauthorizes school-based health centers. These centers serve as critical access points that provide comprehensive care to children and adolescents in their school, a location that is safe, convenient, and accessible. They provide this care through partnerships with community health providers, such as federally qualified health centers, public health departments, hospitals, schools, and other community institutions. School-based health centers serve primarily low-income and medically underserved populations of children and adolescents. These centers, Madam Speaker, are a powerful tool for achieving health equity among children and adolescents who unjustly experience disparities in health outcomes because of ethnicity, race, or family income. While many communities struggle with ways to keep students healthy, school-based health centers are more important than ever. H.R. 2075 would reauthorize school-based health centers through fiscal year 2024, ensuring continued access to these centers for the children and families who need them most. I want to thank Representatives Sarbanes, Tonko, Upton, and Stefanik for their bipartisan leadership on this legislation. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes).

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7948) to amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to the collection and availability of health data with respect to Indian Tribes, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, the health of American Indian and Alaska Native populations lags behind all other races in the United States. Economic adversity and poor social conditions have contributed to disproportionate disease burden, lower life expectancies, and other health inequalities in Tribal communities. Tragically, Tribal members are expected to live 5.5 fewer years than other races. Now, the coronavirus pandemic has further highlighted these longstanding health inequalities. According to CDC data, more than one- third of nonelderly American Indians and Alaska Natives are at high risk of developing a serious illness resulting from a COVID-19 infection, compared with one-fifth of the White nonelderly adults. Today, we are taking an important step in improving health outcomes by improving data access for Tribal Epidemiology Centers. These centers manage regional public health information systems, disease prevention and control programs, and coordinate with other public health authorities in the collection and study of epidemiological data. None of these functions work if Federal, State, and local partners are not sharing relevant data in a secured manner. H.R. 7948, the Tribal Health Data Improvement Act, ensures that Tribal Nations are equipped with the necessary public health data to operate public health programs and improve health outcomes within their communities. It does this by clarifying the Federal role in collection and availability of health data with respect to Indian Tribes. The legislation also mandates ways of improving health statistics reporting with respect to Indian Tribes, such as requiring the Secretary to release all applicable public health data on Tribal Epidemiology Centers within 180 days of enactment and requiring the CDC to expand and improve their assistance to States with respect to sharing data with Tribal entities. Finally, the bill reauthorizes the National Center for Health Statistics with additional funding for the new programs that are established by the bill. I want to thank Representatives Gianforte, Lujan, Rodgers, Mullin, O'Halleran, and Ruiz for the excellent bipartisan work on this legislation. I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Lujan), a leader on Tribal issues.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I also urge support of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5469) to address mental health issues for youth, particularly youth of color, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5469, the Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act. We have long known that people of color experience inequities in healthcare in the United States. While we have made progress to close these gaps in recent years, including with the passage of the Affordable Care Act, people of color in America continue to experience inequities in care and worse health outcomes compared to White Americans. These long-term trends are rooted in several social determinants that are often driven by structural discrimination and institutionalized racism, which has created systemic health inequity. The tragic results of these long-term trends are that people of color are more likely to suffer from underlying health conditions and have a much harder time getting access to care, and when they do, they are far more likely to experience bias, discrimination, and poor health outcomes. The Congressional Black Caucus' Emergency Task Force on Black Youth Suicide and Mental Health reiterated these points in a report last year that raised concerns about the increasing rates of suicide and mental health trends among Black children. The need to address these increased suicide rates has been recognized by public health experts, including the National Institute of Mental Health Director, Dr. Joshua Gordon. He recently wrote about mental health inequities, saying these gaps ``lead to worse mental health outcomes in underserved and minority communities.'' In testimony before our committee, the American Psychological Association president, Dr. Arthur Evans, also underscored the need to diversify our mental health workforce if we are to improve care for communities of color. The bill before us today, H.R. 5469, is aimed specifically at addressing equity in mental health. The bill would invest resources into better understanding racial and ethnic minority mental health disparities, improve outreach and support for racial and ethnic minorities, and expand provider support for students of color entering the mental health workforce. I am hopeful, Madam Speaker, that this bill will help reduce the inequities in mental health. Before I conclude, I want to thank my colleague from New Jersey, Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman, and her staff for leading this important bill. I also thank Ranking Member Walden and his staff for working with us in a bipartisan manner to move this bill forward. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I also urge support for the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.