Healthcare Heroes (Cong. Rec., Sept. 16, 2020)
Summary
A page of the Congressional Record, Senate, dated September 16, 2020, at page S5638, under the heading Healthcare Heroes. The page begins with a roll call in which the yeas are 81 and the nays are 15 and the motion is agreed to, and the clerk reports a nomination to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois. Mr. Boozman praises healthcare workers and recommends expanding broadband for telehealth, making expanded Medicare telehealth services permanent and giving certainty to the 340B drug discount program. Near the end, a speaker says more than 200,000 DACA recipients are essential critical infrastructure workers.
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Cite this document
“Healthcare Heroes (Cong. Rec., Sept. 16, 2020).”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-09-16-crec-2020-09-16-pt1-pgs5638-2-3832e84777/
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S5638 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 16, 2020
Klobuchar Merkley Van Hollen tients get reliable care. Listening to eligibility in the 340B program, I signed
Markey Murray Warren
Menendez Schumer Wyden
the needs of hospitals is incredibly im- on to support Senator THUNE’s bill to
portant in many efforts to assist these provide certainty to current partici-
NOT VOTING—4
vital facilities, protect the jobs they pants. As hospitals paused elective pro-
Burr Harris create, and empower their ability to cedures and as admissions decreased
Capito Sanders
serve communities and patients all for Medicare and Medicaid patients, ad-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this across Arkansas. Insight from the ministrators’ concerns that their hos-
vote, the yeas are 81, the nays are 15. healthcare community is a valuable re- pitals would no longer be eligible for
The motion is agreed to. source that helps shape the policies the 340B program increased. These are
f that directly impact their mission. among the key metrics used to deter-
EXECUTIVE CALENDAR Along with continuing to provide mine acceptance into the program. The
critical resources like PPE, here are 340B drug discount program has pro-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The three things Arkansas healthcare pro-
clerk will report the nomination. vided flexibility to Arkansas hospitals
fessionals recommend we can do to im- to help lower drug prices. Extending
The senior assistant legislative clerk
prove services. First of all, we can ex- eligibility so they can care for low-in-
read the nomination of Iain D. John-
pand broadband so more patients can come patients is critical.
ston, of Illinois, to be United States
take advantage of telehealth; make ex- These are three measures we can
District Judge for the Northern Dis-
panded telehealth services to Medicare take to help patients continue to get
trict of Illinois.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- permanent; and, finally, provide cer- quality, reliable care. We must remem-
ator from Arkansas. tainty for the 340B drug discount pro- ber that, like our valued healthcare
gram. workers, we play an important role in
HEALTHCARE HEROES
Telehealth has become vital to pro- fighting the virus. By following the
Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, viding effective care for patients dur-
healthcare workers have long been re- guidance and recommendations laid
ing this public health emergency. Ac- out by our public health officials, we
garded as some of our Nation’s most cess to medical providers without leav-
critical and courageous servants. Dur- can help our medical heroes and make
ing home offers convenience and safety a positive impact to prevent the spread
ing this time of challenges and uncer- against potential exposure to COVID–
tainty, this has never been more accu- of COVID–19.
19. Having the option for virtual doc- I yield the floor.
rate. tors’ visits can be a challenge, particu-
Each day, our healthcare profes- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
larly for rural areas, where broadband Democratic whip.
sionals make tireless sacrifices to pro-
connectivity is limited. DACA
tect and serve our country, even when This emergency has amplified the
it means risking their own lives to Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, it has
need for this connection, but, too been exactly 90 days since the Supreme
take care of others. People like Jen- often, providers in rural communities
nifer Campbell, a registered nurse from Court rejected President Trump’s ef-
are unable to meet the increased de- fort to end deportation protection for
White River Health System, are a great mand for telehealth services. So my
example. She is recognized as the in- Dreamers. Dreamers, of course, are
colleagues and I have introduced legis- young immigrants who came to the
house expert for all COVID–19 testing. lation to help healthcare providers ex-
She has taken ownership of the com- United States as children, toddlers, or
pand telehealth benefits and improve infants and who grew up in this coun-
munity drive-up testing and worked access to broadband.
with the Arkansas Department of try believing they were part of Amer-
The Healthcare Broadband Expansion
Health to organize community testing. ica, only to learn when they were old
During COVID–19 Act would bolster
In Malvern, Vickie Robbins, a reg- funding for providers in rural areas to enough to be told, as teenagers, that
istered nurse at Baptist Health-Hot increase connectivity. This bill would they were undocumented through no
Spring County, has volunteered to help more patients get the care they fault of their own.
work extra hours, offered to operate In an opinion by Chief Justice John
need.
drive-through screening, and volun- We have a unique opportunity to see Roberts, the Supreme Court held that
teered to treat COVID–19 patients. how the modifications and updates we the President’s attempt to rescind the
Also, Lora Turknett, a registered nurse made to health programs during this Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals,
at Baptist Health-Conway, has been de- health emergency can be beneficial in known as DACA, was ‘‘arbitrary and
pendable and flexible with the hours the long term. capricious.’’
she works to support the needs of dif- The CARES Act provided the Depart- It was 10 years ago that I joined with
ferent shifts. She provides compas- ment of Health and Human Services then-Republican Senator Dick Lugar,
sionate care with a positive attitude. with the authority to waive telehealth of Indiana, on a bipartisan basis, to
During visits to medical facilities requirements for Medicare during this call on President Obama to use his
across Arkansas during the in-State emergency. Providers and patients legal authority to protect Dreamers
work period, I was honored to person- have adapted expanded telehealth op- from deportation. President Obama
ally thank frontline workers like them portunities. We can continue to heard our call. He responded by cre-
and so many others for the critical strengthen this access by making these ating the DACA Program. DACA pro-
care they are providing. The work of services permanent. vides temporary protection to Dream-
these frontline workers and their col- Earlier this summer, I joined a bipar- ers from deportation on a 2-year basis,
leagues has become much more dif- tisan group of Senators to urge our Na- which is renewable if they register
ficult. We are grateful for all they do tion’s top health agencies to make the with the government, pay a fee, and
and represent. permanent changes to telehealth re- pass criminal and national security
Congress overwhelmingly supported quirements for Medicare that Congress background checks. More than 800,000
the men and women of the medical authorized in the CARES Act. Dreamers came forward to sign up for
community who are treating COVID–19 Last month, President Trump issued DACA.
patients and are working to find a cure an Executive order to improve DACA unleashed their full potential,
to address the public health crisis with healthcare in rural America by expand- and they could see there might be a fu-
the passage of the CARES Act. This ing telehealth resources and services. ture. They began to contribute to our
critical relief was a necessary lifeline The President’s action included a pro- country as soldiers, teachers, and small
business owners. More than 200,000
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
for hospitals to continue providing posal to parts of Medicare’s telehealth
services to meet the demands of the coverage. This is a step in the right di- DACA recipients are essential critical
communities and helping our doctors, rection. I look forward to working with infrastructure workers. That is not my
nurses, and other medical professionals the administration to implement a rule choice of words. It is the definition of
stay safe while providing care and that will enhance the delivery of President Trump’s Department of
treatment for patients. healthcare to Medicare patients. Homeland Security. More than 200,000
There is more that we can do to sup- When Arkansas hospital administra- DACA recipients are essential critical
port healthcare and ensure that pa- tors shared their concerns over future infrastructure workers. Among these
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