Healthcare

The Healthcare Task Force focuses on ensuring Latinos have access to affordable health care. Additionally, the Task Force focuses on public health, prevention, and health disparities.

Members:
Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Co-Chair
Rep. Raul Ruiz, Co-Chair
Rep. Pedro Pierluisi

More on Healthcare

Congressional Tri-Caucus Introduces Landmark Health Equity and Accountability Legislation
April 28, 2020
Press Release

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.

Issues:Healthcare
MEDIA ADVISORY: Congressional Tri-Caucus Introduces Landmark Health Equity and Accountability Legislation
April 24, 2020
Press Release

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.

Issues:Healthcare
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Castro and Over 50 Democrats Call for DACA Recipients to Access ACA Benefits During COVID-19 Crisis
April 22, 2020
Press Release

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.'

Issues:Immigration and Border IssuesHealthcare
Congressional Tri-Caucus Chairs Call on CDC to Release Nationwide Demographic Data to Help Address Emerging COVID-19 Health Disparities
April 8, 2020
Press Release
WASHINGTON— The Congressional Tri-Caucus Chairs – composed of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), and Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) –are calling on the Trump Administration to ensure there are no racial or ethnic health disparities regarding the testing and treatment of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). In a letter, the Tri-Caucus Chairs urge Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Azar and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Redfield to work with the Tri-Caucus to ensure nationwide demographic data is released publicly and in real time and to find the best approach in collecting disaggregated data without compromising data collection or the integrity of CDC data.
Issues:HealthcareDiversity and Inclusion
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Statement on Minority Health Month
April 7, 2020
Press Release
WASHINGTON— Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) issued the following statement to mark April as Minority Health Month:
Issues:Healthcare
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Members Send Bicameral Letter Asking Trump Administration to Address Puerto Rico’s Unique Vulnerability to COVID-19
April 3, 2020
Press Release
WASHINGTON— United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Representatives Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), House Natural Resources Committee Chair; Nydia M. Velázquez (D-N.Y.), House Small Business Committee Chair; and Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair; wrote to Vice President Mike Pence, head of the White House Task Force on Coronavirus, regarding the economic and public health vulnerabilities of Puerto Rico amid the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The lawmakers requested information on how the Trump administration will help the island manage the crisis.
Issues:Healthcare
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Leaders Call on the Federal Government to Protect and Support Farmworkers During COVID-19 Crisis
March 31, 2020
Press Release
WASHINGTON— Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) leaders called on Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redford to take necessary measures to protect farmworkers and their families during this public health crisis. Throughout this public health crisis, there has not been a day when these essential workers have stopped showing up to work. At the same time, farmworkers often do not have the necessary resources or information, health benefits, or direct cash assistance as other US workers. As we mark the last day of Farmworker Awareness Week and Cesar Chavez Day, our government must work to address any ongoing and emerging needs farmworkers may have and ensure that farmworkers are not left behind as they continue to work through this public health crisis in order to guarantee food reaches American grocery stores.
Issues:Immigration and Border IssuesHealthcareEconomic Development and Workforce
MEDIA ADVISORY: Congressional Hispanic Caucus Members Calls on ICE to Heed Advice of Public Health Experts and Immediately Release ICE Detainees to Prevent COVID-19 Outbreaks
March 30, 2020
Press Release
WASHINGTON — Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chairman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), CHC members, and immigration experts will discuss why the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must immediately release non-priority and low-risk detainees, vulnerable immigrants, and migrant children from US custody, as federal detention facility conditions leave detainees extremely vulnerable to the novel coronavirus. ICE facilities have shown themselves to be ill-prepared to provide adequate medical care to vulnerable detainees and have had issues containing outbreaks. Further, ICE often has to rely on local medical facilities to treat ill detainees. The novel coronavirus is a significant threat on a far greater scale. ICE’s failure to reduce detention numbers and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 has a real possibility of creating a severe health crisis for detention centers and overwhelming local health care facilities.
Issues:Immigration and Border IssuesHealthcare
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Seeks Answers on Trump’s New Border Restrictions Turning Away Asylum Seekers and Some Unaccompanied Migrant Children
March 27, 2020
Press Release
WASHINGTON— Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Members called on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf and Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield, MD to provide further information on the CDC’s Order that restricts the entry of migrants and asylum seekers into the United States as way to protect against the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Given the Trump Administration’s proven anti-immigrant record, many fear that DHS is using the CDC’s recent order as a way to deny our legal obligation to asylum seekers, including some unaccompanied migrant children. It is in inappropriate for the Trump Administration to use this public health crisis as a pretext to send hundreds of asylum seekers and children back to dangerous conditions, where they may face oppression, persecution and even death.
Issues:Immigration and Border IssuesHealthcare
Democratic Leaders of Color: Trump’s Use of “Chinese Virus” Endangers Lives
March 17, 2020
Press Release
WASHINGTON— On Monday and again today, President Donald Trump in two tweets referred to the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as the “Chinese Virus.” He later doubled down on the use of this term during a press conference earlier today. This violates guidance issued by the World Health Organization and the promises by members of Trump’s own administration, including Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Robert Redfield, to refrain from using that term precisely to describe COVID-19 because it incites blame, racism, and hatred towards Asian Americans, putting them at risk for prejudice and violence. Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chairwoman Judy Chu, Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chairman Joaquin Castro, Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chairwoman Karen Bass, and Congressional Native American Caucus Co-Chair Deb Haaland issued the following joint statement:
Issues:Healthcare