Today, America's health care providers have been reassured that their own health is as important as their patients' health. The bill President Clinton is signing today directs an amendment to OSHA's bloodborne pathogen standard to ensure more widespread use of safer medical devices to prevent dangerous needlesticks

Each year one in seven medical professionals experiences a needlestick while caring for sick or injured patients. Safer and newer equipment that is readily available could prevent many of these injuries. Our nation's health care providers deserve effective protection against deadly and debilitating bloodborne diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis B. This legislation gives it to them by clarifying that OSHA's regulation requires employers to identify and provide safer equipment for their staffs to use.

I am especially pleased that this bill received bipartisan sponsorship and support. My sincere thanks to Representives Cass Ballenger and Major Owens and Senators James Jeffords, Michael Enzi, Ted Kennedy and Harry Reid. I particularly appreciate their working together quickly and effectively to bring this bill to the President for signature in just seven weeks.