Merkley, Wyden Announce $14.6 Million in Recovery Act Funding for Oregon Health Care Facilities

Washington D.C. – U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.)
and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) announced today that the Department of Health and Human
Services has awarded over $14.6 million in Capital Improvement Program grants
to health centers across Oregon as part of the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act. 

The funding will be used to support the construction, repair
and renovation of health facilities, to purchase new equipment or health
information technology (HIT) systems, and to adopt and expand the use of
electronic health records.

“Fixing the American health care system is a massive task
and creating a 21^st century health care infrastructure is a major
part of the solution,” Merkley said.  “This Recovery Act funding will be
creating jobs in Oregon while at the same time improving the facilities,
information technology, and electronic records that allow our health care
providers to focus on delivering quality care to patients.”

“More than 17 million Americans from small towns to urban
centers rely on community health centers for basic health care,” Wyden said.
“As we work to reform our current health care, we need to make sure that we
take care of those elements of the current system that offer the services that
people need most.  Keeping these centers healthy is crucial to keeping
Americans healthy.”