(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser issued the following statement on passage of Bill 23-777, “New Hospital at St. Elizabeths Amendment Act of 2020” and initial approval of Bill 23-778 “New Howard University Hospital and Redevelopment Tax Abatement Act of 2020.”
“Today’s vote to clear the way for a new, full service, GW Health Hospital on the St. Elizabeths campus is an enormous victory for the District, especially for the residents and communities of Wards 7 and 8. I thank all Councilmembers for their hard work to get this deal done, and I particularly acknowledge Councilmember Vincent Gray for his leadership and persistent advocacy for a new hospital East of the River. I also thank the members of the Mayor’s Commission on Healthcare Systems Transformation for their service and recommendations on how we can achieve equitable health care delivery in the District.
“When completed in late 2024, mothers will again be able to deliver their babies near their homes, patients will receive critical medical treatment in their communities, and residents who wish to pursue a career in health care will have additional training and job opportunities to pursue their dreams.
“I also want to commend the Council’s first vote on bringing a new Howard University Hospital to Georgia Avenue in Ward 1 and allow Howard’s College of Medicine – a premiere medical school that produces more African American doctors than any other university in the country – to continue its long and storied tradition of training our nation’s physicians and health care professionals.
“These projects reflect our commitment to ensuring all Washingtonians have access to the health care they need and deserve. Without our health, we cannot live up to our potential as individuals or as a community. Together, we will continue to build a health care system that meets the needs of all residents, addresses health disparities, and makes us more resilient for the challenges that lie ahead.”