Jefferson Reporter

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 7, 2024 – U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.), a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, has secured $6 million for Jackson Hospital and Clinic in Montgomery through the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. This congressionally directed spending aims to enhance patient care by funding the purchase of technology and necessary equipment, as well as critical internal infrastructure improvements.

“This funding would give families in and around Montgomery access to improved medical care and services. When I joined the Appropriations Committee, I promised to return your hard-earned taxpayer dollars to Alabama. These dollars are returning home to our great state in a major way in order to invest in the wellbeing of Alabamians,” said Senator Britt.

The FY25 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act now awaits consideration by the full Senate. Jackson Hospital is a not-for-profit healthcare provider located in Alabama’s capital city, dedicated to serving the River Region.

Senator Britt has prioritized health care during her first 19 months in office, focusing on rural and maternal care. She collaborated with Senator Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) on introducing the NIH IMPROVE Act, which seeks consistent support for research into maternal mortality causes and improving health outcomes for women before, during, and after pregnancy.

Additionally, Senator Britt worked with Senators Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) on introducing the Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act. This legislation aims to expand access to maternal care by supporting rural healthcare facilities and doctors providing urgent obstetric care—a significant issue for Alabama where 55 of its 67 counties are considered rural.

In September 2023, Senator Britt reintroduced the Access to Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD) Act with Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). This legislation proposes eliminating copays and other out-of-pocket expenses for breast cancer diagnostic tests.

Last December, she joined a bipartisan group of senators in reintroducing the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2023. The bill aims to expand telehealth service coverage through Medicare permanently while improving health outcomes.

Senator Britt also cosponsored two pieces of bipartisan legislation aimed at making insulin more accessible: the Affordable Insulin Now Act of 2023 capping insulin prices at $35 for a 30-day supply; and the Improving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now (INSULIN) Act of 2023 addressing insulin costs comprehensively.

Furthermore, along with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), she introduced the Youth Mental Health Research Act. This initiative seeks to create a national Youth Mental Health Research Initiative focused on guiding long-term mental health care efforts.

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