WASHINGTON – Federal funding for community health centers expires on September 30 and supporters are lobbying for it to be renewed.
Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D, NY-17) said the funding is critical to health coverage.
“Congress should not recess while 1.1 million American children are at risk of losing their health coverage,” Lowey said. “It is unfathomable that Republican leadership would adjourn Congress will allowing historically bipartisan investments in public health to lapse,” she said.
Linda Muller is president of Cornerstone Health Care, which operates community health center facilities across the Hudson Valley and in Binghamton.
“Sometimes Congress takes their eye off the ball because they have other things they are trying to fight about and we need to be reauthorized – we only had two years of authorization – so we are up to be reauthorized now,” Muller said. “We have ground swelling support congressionally to refocus their attention. Don’t forget the jewel in the healthcare delivery system nationally is the healthcare centers and that reauthorization needs to be done.”
Muller said they have bipartisan support from House members in the Hudson Valley to renew the funding.
