Press Releases
SAN ANTONIO—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), issued the following statement in recognition of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month:
"Every May we recognize Asian Pacific American Heritage Month to celebrate the achievements of the Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. This month was selected because it commemorates the immigration of the first Japanese people to the U.S. on May 7, 1843 and also on May 10, 1869 the Transcontinental Railroad was completed, which was primarily built by Chinese immigrant labor. Generations of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have contributed to our nation's progress by starting new businesses, creating beautiful art, advancing scientific discovery, and much more.
WASHINGTON—Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and Congressional Black Caucus sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer to urge them to defend Medicaid against efforts to weaken "maintenance of effort" (MOE) protections during the coronavirus pandemic.
"The federal Medicaid MOE protections in the Families First Act prevent states from making it harder for people to qualify for Medicaid and from terminating people's coverage during the public health emergency," the Members wrote. "We write to express our strong opposition to efforts underway to weaken these protections, which would endanger coverage and access to care for millions of Hispanic and Black beneficiaries in states that would likely act to restrict Medicaid eligibility."
WASHINGTON— On Friday, May 1st, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus led by Chairman Joaquin Castro will convene a press call with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, mixed-status family members, and an attorney with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) to discuss the importance of ensuring that all American households in financial need, including those with family members of mixed immigration status, receive COVID-19 stimulus aid.
WASHINGTON—Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Joaquin Castro and 18 members sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Perdue, Health and Human Services Secretary Azar, and Department of Labor Secretary Scalia calling for an investigation of working conditions in meatpacking facilities during the COVID-19 crisis and emergency standards to protect meatpacking workers.
WASHINGTON—Today, Congressman Jesús "Chuy" García (IL-04) and the Congressional Tri-Caucus – which represents over half of the Democratic Caucus and includes the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) – introduced a landmark bill to close health disparities in the United States, entitled the Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2020. This legislation is supported by more than 200 community and advocacy organizations in the United States.
WASHINGTON, D.C.—On April 28th, 2020 at 1:00 PM ET, the Congressional Tri-Caucus and health equity advocates will hold a zoom press conference to highlight the introduction of a landmark bill, the Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2020, led by Congressman Jesús "Chuy" García (IL-04).
The Health Equity and Accountability Act is a visionary piece of legislation that will reform our health system and improve the wellbeing of communities across the United States. This bill will help ensure that people who face health disparities or that have been historically marginalized receive the health services they need to thrive.
WASHINGTON—Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Joaquin Castro and over 100 House Democrats sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell urging him to bring H.R 6 to a vote. Over 330,000 DACA recipients and TPS holders are supporting our nation during this crisis by serving as "essential critical infrastructure workers," according to DHS guidance. The Supreme Court could rule today or in the near future on President's Trump decision to terminate DACA protections.
SAN ANTONIO—Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Joaquin Castro (TX-20) issued the following statement in response to President Trump's executive order on suspending immigration:
"Rather than address the lack of testing or bring together a grieving nation after over 40,000 Americans have died from the coronavirus, President Trump is instead diverting attention away from his failures by blaming immigrants and using this crisis to advance his anti-immigrant agenda.
"Donald Trump wants to alter the long-term demographics of America by reducing legal immigration. He's seizing this global pandemic as a convenient cover for his cynical political objectives.
WASHINGTON—Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Joaquin Castro and over 50 members of the Democratic Caucus are calling on the Trump administration to allow DACA recipients to access Affordable Care Act benefits in response to the coronavirus crisis. This action is critical for the over 200,000 DACA recipients that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security classifies as 'essential critical infrastructure workers.'
WASHINGTON—Democratic leaders of color are urging Senate and House leadership to include federal funding for local and ethnic media outlets in a future stimulus package. These organizations are the best positioned to deliver COVID-19 updates to underserved and vulnerable populations , including those who are limited English proficient. Accurate and timely information is a critical component in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic in communities of color across the country.
The letter was signed by Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Congressional Black Caucus Chair Karen Bass (CA-37), Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair Judy Chu (CA-27), and Congressional Native American Caucus Co-Chair Deb Haaland (NM-1).