THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
_________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release November 22, 2000
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
Today I am pleased to sign into law S. 1880, the "Minority Health and
Health Disparities Research and Education Act of 2000." This Act will
enhance biomedical and behavioral research on minority health and health
disparities, support medical training for minorities and others, and
improve the study and collection of data regarding minorities and other
populations.
This important legislation builds on the work of my Administration,
particularly the efforts of the Secretary of Health and Human Services
(HHS), Donna Shalala, to develop a truly national commitment to end
disparities in health through research, training, and data gathering.
Under Secretary Shalala, HHS committed to eliminate disparities in health
by race and ethnicity by the year 2010. Eliminating disparities will
require additional research and new approaches, but in the process of
addressing the health needs of our most vulnerable populations, we will
improve the Nation?s health care system for everyone. This Act was made
possible through the bipartisan efforts of the Congress; a multiracial
coalition of leaders in public health, business, education, and charitable
foundations; and my Administration.
The Act creates a National Center on Minority Health and Health
Disparities at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This Center will
fund research programs on health disparities and minority health; support
training of members of health disparity populations as researchers; and
provide education loan relief for health professionals who commit
themselves to perform health disparities research. The Center will also
coordinate all NIH research efforts in this area. The Center promises to
help all Americans who bear the burden of health disparities regardless of
their race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, or geographic
location.
This legislation also authorizes the Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality to conduct and support activities and research to measure
health disparities and identify causes and remedies. In addition, it
authorizes the Health Resources and Services Administration to support
research and demonstration projects to train health professionals on
reducing health care disparities.
I would like to thank many individuals who helped develop and pass
this landmark law, particularly Senators Kennedy, Frist, Jeffords, and
Hatch, as well as Representatives Thompson, Lewis, Jackson, Jr., Watts,
Norwood, Strickland, Brown, Bilirakis, Christensen, Towns, Rodriguez,
Underwood, and Roybal-Allard. I also would like to acknowledge the
diligent efforts of Secretary Shalala; David Satcher, the Surgeon General;
Ruth Kirschstein, Principal Deputy Director of NIH; and the many others who
worked tirelessly to bring this legislation forward.
The elimination of health disparities will require a comprehensive
effort, involving both the Federal Government and the private sector. The
Federal Government must continue to make measurable progress against
diseases and conditions that are major contributors to health disparities,
and our commitment to health disparities research must ensure that new
knowledge generated in federally supported laboratories and clinics
benefits all of our citizens. We must also ensure that there is a diverse
health care and research workforce in the future by making efforts to
attract and train a generation of scientists and health care professionals
who are prepared to dedicate themselves to helping eliminate health
disparities.
WILLIAM J. CLINTON
THE WHITE HOUSE,
November 22, 2000.
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