‘Congress is making difficult decisions about which programs to fund and which to reduce…I find it unfair that some programs…do not have to prove their merit to earn continued funding.’

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02) announced, today, Wednesday, May 25, 2011, that the U.S. House of Representatives passed his bill, H.R. 1216, on a 234-185 vote. Congressman Guthrie’s bill targets one of the many mandatory spending accounts included in the recently signed health care law.  

H.R. 1216 converts the mandatory funding for teaching health centers included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) into an authorization of appropriations. Converting the program to an authorization allows it to be evaluated on its merits along with similar programs during the appropriations cycle each year.

PPACA gave the Teaching Health Centers program automatic funding each year, while similar programs, including children’s hospitals and the Nurse Education, Practice and Education program, must compete for annual funding from Congress.

H.R. 1216 would chip away at the hodgepodge set of policies where some programs receive mandatory funding while others go through the normal appropriations process.

Congressman Guthrie delivered remarks on the House floor, yesterday, Tuesday, May 24, 2011 in support of his legislation. Below are his remarks (as prepared): Click HERE for video.

“I rise today in support of HR 1216.  The health care bill that was signed into law last year spent over a trillion dollars and empowered federal bureaucrats more than it did the American people.

“As a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, I have been working on legislation that takes steps to peel back a few of the many mandatory programs that were instituted in the health care law and limit the federal government’s unprecedented power.

“Section 5508 of the health care law authorizes the Health and Human Services Secretary to award teaching health centers development grants and appropriates $230 million for 2011 through 2015.

“HR 1216 amends the Public Health Service Act to convert funding for graduate medical education in qualified teaching health centers from direct appropriations to an authorization of appropriations.

“This bill is not about the merits of graduate medical education or teaching health centers.

“Everyone agrees that there is a strong need for more primary care physicians in our health care system, but picking and choosing one program over another to receive automatic funding is irresponsible.  Making these programs mandatory spending is unfair to all of the other health care programs that have to compete every year to continue to receive funds.

“The President’s FY 2012 budget eliminates Graduate Medical Education for Children’s Hospitals.  While children’s hospitals must go through the regular appropriations process to fight for funding, Teaching Health Centers will receive an automatic appropriation.

“Section 5301 of PPACA  allows hospitals (accredited public and non-profit) to receive funds  for ‘Training in Family Medicine, General Internal Medicine, General Pediatrics, and Physician Assistantships’.  Section 5301 is authorized and subject to appropriations, whereas Section 5508 of PPACA provides automatic funds for Teaching Health Centers.

“We are $14 trillion in debt and our deficit for this year will approach $1.5 trillion.  Congress is making difficult decisions about which programs to fund and which to reduce.

“We must prioritize, and I find it unfair that some programs are completely shielded and do not have to prove their merit to earn continued funding.

“By providing mandatory funds to teaching health centers, this section of PPACA disadvantages children’s hospitals, the Nurse Education, Practice and Education program, and all other programs that must go through the normal appropriations process to receive funding.

“The fact of the matter is there was no rhyme or reason in PPACA as to what was made a mandatory program and what was going to be subject to the regular authorization and appropriations process.  Is training in geriatrics, internal medicine, or for nurses less important than providing a curriculum at a health center?  I am not prepared to say that it is or isn’t, but it seems that is the position of those that supported PPACA and who would oppose H.R. 1216.

“We should not have a hodgepodge set of policies where some facilities get mandatory funding while others go through the normal appropriations process.  I will reiterate that H.R. 1216 does not eliminate the teaching health center program, it merely turns the mandatory appropriations into an authorization of appropriations.  It also places the program on an equal footing with many other medical training programs.

“I urge my colleagues to support the bill and reserve the balance of my time.”