APALA Responds to Affordable Care Act Repeal Efforts

Targeted News Service (Press Releases)

WASHINGTON, March 14 -- The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), a member of AFL-CIO, issued the following news release:

The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA) urges Congress to block any legislation, including the recently proposed bill introduced in the House, that would repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and would, if put into effect, potentially impact millions of people, including two million in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. According to the Congressional Budget Office, an estimated 14 million people will lose coverage by 2018 - a number that would grow to 24 million by 2026. "The administration continues to be ruthless to our communities," stated Johanna Puno Hester, APALA National President and Assistant Executive Director of the United Domestic Workers, AFSCME Local 3930. "Our families are already under threat in so many ways: the gutting of health care security, the increased profiling of and attacks on black and brown bodies, the assaults on women's and LGBTQ rights. To repeal and replace ACA has ramifications for all Americans and would - quite literally - make America sick again. This bill serves to deliver tax cuts for the wealthiest - another tactic to preserve the widening gap between rich and poor. With attacks on all fronts, it's imperative to not let our guards down and to always put people over profits." "Repealing the Affordable Care Act would mean cuts to Medicaid and higher costs and less care for millions of families including nearly 40 percent of children nationwide," said Luisa Blue, APALA National Executive Board Member and Executive Vice President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) who helped found the SEIU Nurse Alliance. "As a former nurse, I have witnessed how critical it was for patients to have access to affordable care and preventative care. We cannot allow the Republican Congressional leadership to take away healthcare from millions of Americans. This directly impacts so many Asian American Pacific Islanders, who like the rest of us are just trying to work hard to build a better life for their families." National Executive Board Member and UFCW Local 400 member Yves Gomes ended: "The Affordable Care Act was a good step to insure millions of people throughout the country; however, millions of people - including my undocumented brothers and sisters - still remain uninsured. Health care is a human right, and we should be working towards the expansion of coverage to include all people living and working in the country, not the reduction of it."