Federally funded community health centers are a lifeline for more than 30 million Americans across the country, providing quality, affordable medical, dental and behavioral health services that save lives. Community health centers are especially important to people in tribal, rural and underserved areas because they are often the closest and most convenient source of care. During National Health Center Week, we recognize the importance of the nearly 1,400 federally funded community health centers that provide critical services to Americans. We thank their dedicated staff who work tirelessly for the health of their patients, and we recommit ourselves to ensuring that all Americans have access to quality, affordable health care.
I've seen firsthand how vital community health centers are to our entire country. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, we invested $7.6 billion in our nation's health center network to ensure that Americans, regardless of their background or zip code, can get the care they need. It's worked. For example, health centers have distributed more than 20 million COVID-19 vaccines, with 2 out of 3 doses administered to people of color and 2 out of 10 to rural residents. And every day, health centers are making sure Americans get the affordable, quality health care services they need, from cancer screenings and maternal and child health to telehealth services that are available where people are.
Community health centers play a critical role in ensuring that health care is a right, not a privilege, in this country. That's why my Administration is making the largest investment in community health centers ever. My budget will double the size of the Health Center Program, and we've provided funding for community health centers to expand critical services, including substance use disorder treatment, behavioral health care, pregnancy-related care, and cancer prevention screenings.
At the same time, my Administration is lowering the cost of health care and ensuring that all Americans can get the care they need. We strengthened the Affordable Care Act, so more people than ever have health insurance under my Administration. We also capped the total cost of prescription drugs for seniors on Medicare to $2,000 a year, even for the most expensive drugs. We lowered the price of insulin for seniors on Medicare from $400 to $35 a month. And we finally beat “Big Pharma” by giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices.
During National Health Center Week, we pay tribute to all health center staff who make incredible sacrifices to protect the health and well-being of their communities. We thank health centers across the country for their impact and recommit ourselves to supporting their efforts and vision: a future where everyone has access to affordable, quality health care.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Joseph R. Biden, Jr., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim the week of August 4 through August 10, 2024, as National Health Center Week.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I do hereby sign this second day of August, in the year two thousand twenty-four, and the two hundred and forty-ninth year of the Independence of the United States of America.
