January 6, 2017 - Latino Leaders to Congress: Do Not Repeal Obamacare, Do Not Defund Planned Parenthood

LATINO LEADERS TO CONGRESS: DO NOT REPEAL OBAMACARE, DO NOT DEFUND PLANNED PARENTHOOD

WASHINGTON—The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, a coalition of 40 of the nation’s preeminent Latino advocacy organizations, today urged Congress not to repeal the Affordable Care Act and not to defund Planned Parenthood. In a letter to all members of Congress, NHLA pointed to the significant impact that such actions would have on the Latino community. Through the ACA, 4 million Latinos have gained health insurance and 17 million Latinos now have access to cost-free preventative care. Additionally, over a half million Latinos rely on Planned Parenthood for care. The letter also includes five priorities that NHLA says must be included in any ACA replacement legislation.

"Latino leaders stand united in opposition to efforts that would repeal the Affordable Care Act or defund the important health care services provided by Planned Parenthood. We cannot end access to health care, including the range of vital, no-cost preventive services included in the ACA. NHLA will be carefully monitoring all policy proposals to ensure that the needs of the Latino community are taken into account," said Hector Sanchez, NHLA Chair and Executive Director of the Labor Council For Latin American Advancement.

“National Hispanic Medical Association strongly urges the new Administration and Congress to support access to healthcare services and healthcare careers to all Americans, especially to our most underserved Latino communities,” said Dr. Elena Rios, President of the National Hispanic Medical Association and Vice Chair of NHLA’s Health Committee.

"Access to basic healthcare should never be uncertain: Latinxs, people with low-incomes, LGBTQ people, people of color and those who live at the intersections of these multiple identities are the hardest hit when elected officials play politics with their health. Repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and defunding Planned Parenthood targets communities who are already hardest hit by lack of affordable access to preventive care. Our communities need policies from our elected officials that expand access to a broad range of care, including reproductive healthcare, not that make it further out of reach,” said Jessica González-Rojas, Executive Director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health.

Read the letter by clicking here or pasting the following link into your browser: http://bit.ly/2i0xP4c.

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ABOUT THE NATIONAL HISPANIC LEADERSHIP AGENDA

The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda is composed of 40 of the leading national and regional Latino civil rights and public policy organizations and other elected officials, and prominent Latinos Americans. NHLA coalition members represent the diversity of the Latino community – Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and other Latino Americans. NHLA’s mission calls for unity among Latinos around the country to provide the Latino community with greater visibility and a clearer, stronger influence in our country’s affairs. NHLA brings together Latino leaders to establish policy priorities that address, and raise public awareness of, the major issues affecting the Latino community and the nation as a whole. For more information, please visit: www.nationalhispanicleadership.org.

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