For Immediate Release Contact: CAPAC – Gloria Chan – 202-225-2631
April 28, 2009 CBC – Jioni Palmer – 202-226-9776
CHC – Miguel Ayala - 202-225-2410
CPC – Bill Goold – 202-225-6161
Caucuses Unite Behind Public Health Insurance Plan Option
(
Together, one hundred seventeen Members of the House and Senate belong to at least one of these four congressional caucuses. Hence, their unity in pushing for inclusion of a public health insurance plan like Medicare as part of comprehensive health care reform legislation is a formidable development in the unfolding policy debate inside and outside of Congress.
“As the debate on health care moves forward, we stand together with one voice for the communities that most need this reform,” said Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez, Chairwoman of the 24-Member CHC. “With one out of every three Hispanics in our country likely to be uninsured and with so many Latino small business owners, we have to provide all Americans with the choice of a public health insurance plan.”
“The
“The importance of this issue is shown through the unity of the four caucuses,” said Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva, Co-Chair of the CPC. “We represent the most underrepresented communities, in which livelihoods are paralyzed due to health care being set as a privilege. We stand united to ensure health care is a right. A right that is fair and guaranteed for all.”
“The American people are united in declaring that our health care system is broken, and that we need to fix it,” said Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, Co-Chair of the CPC. “With this letter, more than a 100 Members of Congress are sending a message that we share the public’s outrage, and that we are committed to confronting this problem and developing a health care system that doesn’t leave anyone out. That's why we need to make certain that any final healthcare reform legislation includes the option of a public health insurance plan to ensure that everyone has access to high quality, affordable care.”
“For too long, insurance companies have dictated the quality, quantity, and accessibility of healthcare to the American people,” said Congressman Mike Honda, Chair of Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC). “A robust public health insurance plan will ensure true competition with those companies that reap egregious profits, and will present the opportunity to make deep, lasting changes in our healthcare system. A public plan will also provide a framework to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities in some of the most underserved communities.”
# # #
For more information about the Caucuses, please visit: Honda.house.gov/capac
Thecongressionalblackcaucus.com
Velazquez.house.gov/CHC
Cpc.grijalva.house.gov