Action for Dental Health Act

Text in the Record

{time} 1530 ACTION FOR DENTAL HEALTH ACT

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2001) to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize a grant program for addressing dental workforce needs, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 2001

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Action for Dental Health Act''.

SEC. 2. ACTION FOR DENTAL HEALTH.

Section 340G(f) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 256g(f)) is amended by striking ``$13,903,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023'' and inserting ``$15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030, to remain available until expended''.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.

General Leave

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the legislation and to include extraneous material on H.R. 2001. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Kentucky? There was no objection. Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2001 led by my colleagues Representative Kelly and Representative Simpson, which reauthorizes a grant program that helps States develop and implement programs to address the need for dental professionals in areas facing a workforce shortage. Oral health is foundational to a person's overall health, as poor oral health may cause issues with daily tasks, like eating, and negatively impacts a person's ability to take part in school or work. This legislation is a bipartisan effort to help improve the oral health of all Americans by ensuring that communities across the Nation have access to strong oral health programs despite dental workforce shortages. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2001, the Action for Dental Health Act, led by Representative Kelly. Access to oral healthcare is critical to ensuring a person's health and well-being. Too often, however, oral health is overlooked. Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease in both children and adults in the United States. In fact, more than one in four adults have untreated cavities, and nearly half of American adults show signs of gum disease. We need to expand access to oral healthcare, including strengthening the oral healthcare workforce. The Action for Dental Health Act reauthorizes State oral health workforce improvement programs. These programs seek to enhance dental workforce planning and development through the support of innovative programs that meet the individual needs of each funded State. I hope my colleagues will join me in this effort to strengthen and expand access to oral healthcare. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 2001, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson), my good friend, who is a member of the Committee on Appropriations, and also a dentist, so he knows this issue well. Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Kentucky for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2001, the Action for Dental Health Act. This bill reauthorizes grants to State and local organizations to address dental workforce needs and improve access to care for patients. Administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration, or HRSA, these grants play a vital role in supporting programs that provide oral healthcare to vulnerable and underserved populations, especially children, seniors, and those living in rural areas. Since it was first implemented, the Action for Dental Health Act has delivered meaningful results. It has enhanced dental services for hardworking American families, strengthened the dental safety net, and brought disease prevention and education programs directly into communities that have been overlooked for far too long. It has also increased awareness of the importance of oral health to overall health. This is why this reauthorization is so critical. Congress still has a lot more work to do, especially with dental workforce shortages and the alarming number of adults and children suffering from untreated dental diseases. According to the American Dental Association, 9 out of 10 dentists report difficulties in recruiting dental hygienists and assistants, a challenge that is particularly difficult in rural areas. As a result, many dental practices are overwhelmed by trying to see their patients in a timely manner. As a former dentist in my hometown of Blackfoot, Idaho, I have seen firsthand the value of good oral health and the consequences of neglect. For people who don't have access to dental care, oral health disease is almost 100 percent inevitable. In fact, it is the most common chronic disease affecting children in the United States. The more dentists can provide patients with an early diagnosis, the better off these patients and our healthcare system will be. As co-chair of the Congressional Oral Health Caucus, I am in a fortunate position to have the ability to impact the oral health initiatives that deserve to be prioritized. That is why I thank my colleague from Illinois, Congresswoman Kelly, for her continued leadership on this issue. I was proud to partner with her in 2018 when the Action for Dental Health Act was first passed, and I am pleased to see the House of Representatives working again in a bipartisan fashion to consider this reauthorization. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to getting this important bill across the finish line and sent to the President's desk, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Kelly), a member of our committee, who has for a long time championed the healthcare concerns of low-income and underserved people. Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to speak on my bipartisan bill, H.R. 2001, the Action for Dental Health Act, to reauthorize vital oral health workforce grants through 2030.

Even though it is entirely preventable, tooth decay remains the most prevalent chronic disease among children and adults in this country. Right now, millions of Americans live in communities with a severe shortage of dental health professionals. This means that kids are forced to grow up with untreated tooth decay, impacting their ability to eat, play, and learn. It means that adults are skipping care until a simple cavity becomes an infection and an infection becomes an emergency room visit.

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