Support for all of these programs is vitally important in maintaining the health of the American public. A key part of this legislation is reauthorization of the National Health Service Corps. Since its initiation in 1970. the corps has facilitated access of health care for thousands of Americans living in health manpower shortage areas. Community and Migrant Health Centers and the Indian Health Service have relied heavily on corps health care providers. At its peak in 1986. the corps had 3.127 health care providers in the field. Despite the argument citing an aggregate surplus of physicians. many rural and urban areas in the United States are without health care providers.