A local lawmaker is demanding Congress reauthorize funding for community health centers.

Rep. Nita Lowey made the call for funding Friday at the Open Door Family Medical Center in Port Chester. The facility serves uninsured and underinsured members of the community.

Federal funding for health centers lapsed on Oct. 1 after Congress failed to reauthorize the program.

"I'm cautiously optimistic that we will reauthorize the Fund Community Health Center program. It's always gotten bi-partisan support," says Lowey.

Lowey does say, however, that there is a lot of uncertainty for health centers that provide health care for low-income Americans.

Officials at Open Door Family Medical Center say they receive about $6 million each year in federal grants to help take care of uninsured and underinsured patients. They say if Congress doesn't act they could lose over $4 million.

Lowey says without reauthorization, as many as 16,000 people in her 17th Congressional District could lose access to care.