United States Senator - Gordon Smith
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Senator Smith meets with Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt to discuss the state of America's health care system
Senator Smith meets with Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt to discuss the state of America's health care system

Ensuring the health and well-being of our citizenry is one of the greatest responsibilities of our government.  I believe that the foundation of a healthy nation begins with a strong health care safety net and affordable health care coverage for all Americans.  As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, I have worked to develop policies that ensure Medicare and programs such as Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), which provide health care coverage for low-income individuals, remain strong and financially sustainable for years to come.  I also have sponsored a number of initiatives that will benefit the State of Oregon, like increasing flexibility for the Oregon Health Plan and making coverage more affordable and accessible for small businesses and the uninsured.  

Another important step to improving the health of our nation is to focus on mental health.  As a founding member of the Senate Mental Health Caucus, I am working on legislation to improve access to vital mental health care services and to break down the stigma associated with mental illness.  In the 108th Congress, we took a monumental step toward this goal with the passage of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, which augments suicide prevention efforts at the state and local level and on college/university campuses.  This Congress, I am working to ensure passage of federal Mental Health Parity legislation that would help alleviate some of the burden placed on individuals and the public mental health system due to lack of access to treatment through many private health insurance plans.

As Ranking Member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, I have had the opportunity to lead discussions on ways to strengthen Medicare, Medicaid, and public/private retirement programs, and to expose companies that prey on seniors with marketing scams.  During my tenure as Chairman in the 109th Congress, I also highlighted issues such as long-term care, retirement security, disaster preparedness, America’s guardianship system and conducted stringent oversight over federal programs such as implementation of the Medicare prescription drug program.  In the 110th Congress, I will continue to work on enact policies that protect seniors and ensure the long term sustainability of our entitlement programs for generations to come. 


Related Press Releases
 09-25 -  Rural Health Care Safety Net Act Gets Senate Approval
 09-24 -  Smith, Lieberman Team Up to Help Small Businesses Gain Access to Health Care
 09-17 -  Smith Urges Congress to Pass Mental Health Parity
 09-15 -  Smith, Specter, Harkin, Wyden, Roberts, Rockefeller Introduce Hospice Protection Act
 09-11 -  Smith Gives 1-800-Medicare a Congressional Check-Up
 07-16 -  Oregon Health, Education Facilities Slated for Federal Funds
Other Issues :
  Agriculture
  Defense and Foreign Policy
  Economy
  Education
  Energy
  Health Care
  Natural Resources
  Senators Smith and Wyden's 110th Congress Bipartisan Agenda
  Transportation
  Veterans Affairs
 



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