On July 11, 2011, Representative Madeline Z. Bordallo from Guam along with other co-sponsors reintroduced the “Pacific Islander Health Data Act” (H.R. 2486) that would develop and implement a national strategy to identify and evaluate the health status and healthcare needs in remote areas in the Pacific region.
The legislation directs HHS acting through the Director of the National Center for Health Statistics and other HHS agencies, to develop and implement a sustainable national strategy to obtain health data on remote Pacific areas to include Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders living in the continental U.S, Hawaii, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.
This bill would provide critical information provided through a health survey to assess healthcare in the Pacific region. This would help healthcare providers and organizations working with Pacific Islanders develop better strategies to serve these communities.
The legislation has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Companion legislation (S.71) was introduced by Senator Daniel Inouye from Hawaii earlier this year and (S.71) has been referred to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.
