·           RURAL HEALTH

Supported Rural Hospitals - Supported The Rural Health Care Capital Access Act (H.R. 4912) to extend federal housing mortgage insurance eligibility to critical-access hospitals through July 31, 2011.

Fought for Home Health Care in Rural Areas - Cosponsored H.R. 11 to temporarily increase home health service payments in rural areas under the Medicare program.

MEDICARE  

Supported Participation in Medicare Prescription Program - Voted for H.Res. 802 urging Medicare beneficiaries review prescription plans to determine whether Medicare Part D prescription drug benefits would best serve their medical needs.    

Fought for Hearing Services - Cosponsored the Hearing Health Accessibility Act of 2005 (H.R. 415) to provide Medicare beneficiaries with direct access to audiologists. Bill in committee  

Supported Access to Speech-language Pathologists - Cosponsored H.R. 3795 to add speech-language pathology service providers to the Medicare program.

OTHER HEALTH ISSUES

Fought for Child Health Care Coverage - Cosponsored the MediKids Health Insurance Act of 2005 (H.R. 3055) to ensure comprehensive health insurance coverage for all children born after 2006.

Fought to Improve Visual Health - Cosponsored the Children,s Vision Improvement and Learning Readiness Act (H.R. 2238) to establish a grant program to provide eye examinations and follow-up treatment to children.

Supported Parkinson,s Disease Research - Cosponsored the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005 (H.R. 810). This legislation would fund embryonic stem cell research, limited to stem cells that meet certain ethical requirements.  

Supported National MPS Day - Voted for H.Res. 85 in support of National MPS (mucopolysaccharidoses and mucolipidoses) Day.

Supported Stem Cell Research - Voted for Support National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month (H.Con.Res 357).

Promoted Awareness of Cystic Fibrosis - Cosponsored H.R. 3550 to improve Parkinson,s Disease research under the Morris K. Udall Parkinson,s Disease Research Act of 2005.                                                                  

 Health Care - Dougherty County - Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital - $100,000 

 Health Care - Miller County - Hospital Authority of Miller County - $150,000

Health Care - Lowndes County - Valdosta State University Health Care Facility - $400,000

Health Care - Columbus - John Amos Cancer Center - $250,000