Published: Tuesday, May 23rd, 2017
For Immediate Release
May 23, 2017
Contact: Amy Lebowitz, Camino PR
212.255.2575 / amy@caminopr.com

NEW YORK — Today, U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) spoke at a press conference highlighting the negative impact the Republican Affordable Care Act (ACA) repeal bill, the American Health Care Act (AHCA), would have on communities of color. Additionally, President Trump released his proposed 2018 Fiscal Budget, gutting health care and public benefits that women of color rely on. In addition to releasing a joint fact sheet on AHCA and reproductive health for women of color, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) Executive Director Sung Yeon Choimorrow issued the following statement in response:

“Women of color in particular have much to lose with the passage of AHCA. More than two million Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) people could lose health insurance coverage under the repeal bill — the lives of AAPI women, transgender and gender non-conforming people are truly at stake.

“The health care gains under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) provided millions of Asian Americans with access to preventive services that over time could help reduce health disparities in our communities. The AHCA’s lack of protections for women with pre-existing conditions would once again compromise women’s access to affordable care. Continued attempts to defund Planned Parenthood and reproductive health services overall demonstrate a callous disregard for the health and agency of women of color. Additionally, cuts to Essential Health Benefits and Medicaid would hurt women of color who decide to parent. In fact, nearly 13 million women who gained maternity coverage under the ACA could lose their benefits under the AHCA. We trust AAPI women to define and make decisions about their bodies, families and communities. And we demand that we have access to health care policies that support our decisions with dignity and respect.

“This disregard for our communities is never more present than in the Trump administration’s proposed Fiscal Year 2018 Budget, which has furthered attacks on Medicaid, nutrition assistance (often known as food stamps or SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Planned Parenthood. Through both the AHCA and the fiscal budget, the current administration is gutting programs that millions of AAPI women and their families rely on to meet basic needs — including health care. We also assert that any attacks to reproductive health care are attacks to overall health care. People in our communities need to be able to choose if and when they parent — and to have resources and support for either decision they make.

“We urge members of Congress to continue to discuss the devastating impact the AHCA and the proposed budget could have on the health of women of color, as well as the impact on reproductive health and rights in this country. We urge members of the Senate to show this country that they trust women of color by voting ‘No’ on the AHCA and attacks on health care in the fiscal budget, and instead focus on expanding and making health care more comprehensive and accessible for the millions of Americans who rely on it.”

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The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF): NAPAWF is the only multi-issue, progressive, community organizing and policy advocacy organization for Asian American and Pacific Islander women and girls in the U.S. NAPAWF’s mission is to build a movement to advance social justice and human rights for Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) women and girls.