H.R. 4487 would reauthorize and revitalize the corps. providing scholarships and loan forgiveness to students during their graduate medical eduration in exchange for their commitment to provide services in health manpower shortage areas after graduation. It would set aside 40 percent of recruitment funds for scholarships. with a special setaside for allied health professionals. and strengthen practitioner retention programs to improve our ability to encourage corps doctors to remain in needy areas after their assignment ends. The National Health Service Corps has been an integral part of the success of the community and migrant health centers and has provided communities with family practitioners where there have been no practicing obstetricians. It has helped ensure that adequate personnel are available to serve the communities that are most often plagued with high infant mortality rates and maternal and child health problems. That is why I and other members of the Congressional Sun Belt Caucus Task Force on Infant Mortality. in our efforts to address the tragic rate of infant death in this country. have focused on the NHSC as a key element of the solution.