Aranthan Jones, MPH, Office of Congresswoman Christensen, Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust, 1510 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515, 202-225-1790, Aranthan.Jones@mail.house.gov

The problem of racial and ethnic disparities in the quality of clinical care in the United States has been amply documented and also the subject of major reports, including Unequal Treatment, issued by the Institute of Medicine, and The Right to Equal Treatment, by Physicians for Human Rights. Agencies of the federal government have major responsibilities under domestic and international law to take steps to end these disparities through education, workforce development, data collection, research, quality assurance review of clinical records, and civil rights enforcement. The comprehensiveness, quality and freedom from political interference of the federal government's response has been the subject of significant debate, and this session will review that response from a variety of perspectives. Hon. Donna Christian-Christiansen, a physician, is chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Brain Trust, which has been deeply involved in legislation and oversight regarding federal initiatives to end racial disparities in the quality of health care. She will discuss her assessment of the status of federal efforts in this realm.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the perspective of the Congressional Minority Caucuses on steps needed by the federal government to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in quality of health services

Keywords: Health Disparities,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.