Washington, DC – Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), along with Representatives Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE-AL), Elise Stefanik (NY-21), and Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) introduced bipartisan legislation to reauthorize Community Health Centers and the National Health Service Corps. The Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023 would reauthorize funding for Community Health Centers through 2028 and provide continued access to care for over 30 million Americans in rural and underserved communities.
“Over 238,000 people in Pennsylvania’s 13 th Congressional District rely on the expert care provided by Community Health Centers,” said Rep. Joyce. “It’s essential that the doctors, nurses, and other providers who serve our communities have the resources they need to continue providing care. Congress must pass the Strengthening Community Care Act to support both patients and providers in our area.”
Community Health Centers in Pennsylvania’s 13 th Congressional District are located in Adams, Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Mifflin, and Perry counties. A full list of the locations can be found here .
“Community Health Centers help improve the lives of thousands of Delawareans up and down the First State,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester. “From distributing vaccines to offering preventative care – CHC’s often serve the hardest to reach populations and help improve health outcomes and health equity. That’s why I’m proud to join my colleagues in this bipartisan effort to fund our Community Health Centers – and while this measure to extend the program is necessary, I'll continue to push to ensure CHC's have adequate funding to match the scope of their work."
“I’m working to protect Community Health Centers that provide critical healthcare and preventative services for families across Upstate New York and the North Country,” Rep. Stefanik said. “In New York’s 21st District, our Community Health Centers serve over 250,000 patients and extending this funding is critical to serving the needs of our region.”
“Community Health Centers play an essential role in providing health care to vulnerable populations in Houston and more than 30 million Americans across our country,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. “It is so important that Congress support Community Health Centers and health care providers with the tools and resources needed to ensure positive health outcomes. I was glad to introduce this bipartisan legislation with Reps. Joyce, Blunt Rochester, and Stefanik to reauthorize funding for Community Health Centers and the National Health Service Corps to ensure access to quality health care.”
“On behalf of Community Health Centers across the nation and the 30 million patients they serve, we appreciate the leadership by Representatives Joyce, Blunt Rochester, Stefanik, and Fletcher, to extend vitally important health center and primary care workforce funding. From small towns to big cities, health centers provide high-quality and affordable healthcare to all patients regardless of their ability to pay. The Strengthening Community Care Act will help them to meet the needs of their patients through services and the next generation of clinicians,” said Rachel Gonzales-Hanson, Interim President and CEO of the National Association of Community Health Centers.
“Community Health Centers have proven their value in improving access to quality, affordable care for more than 50 years. Research shows that not only do CHCs improve health and health equity, but that the return on investment in CHCs is significant. We are grateful to Rep. Joyce for being a health center champion and for his leadership in ensuring stability of funding for these vital providers who more than a million Pennsylvanians and more than 30 million people nationally count on for care,” said Cheri Rinehart, President & CEO of the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers.
Read the full text of the legislation here .