Thank you Raul for your wonderful introduction, and thank you on behalf of a grateful nation for all that you have done and continue to do to advance the quality of life for Latino Americans.

Good afternoon everyone and welcome today’s important policy forum, “Moving from Policy Initiatives to Action.” The State of Healthcare in our country is an issue that has unarguably reached a critical level. 

One does not have to look far or even outside their families to hear the horror stories about victims of our current healthcare system. We know these stories well, like the story of young Andres. 

A brave young boy who stepped on a nail, and because his family could not afford to take him to the doctor, they were left with no alternative but to witness that cut transform into tetanus, leading to the loss of his leg to save his life. Or the common story of countless senior citizens, who in their golden years, after having worked a lifetime to the betterment of our country, still have to decide whether to pay their utility bill or purchases their needed prescriptions.

I am sure that each of you knows similar stories and it is these cold, but sobering tales that have led to your participation in today’s conference.  In Congress, I share your concern and passion to create a nation where every American is afforded the right of quality healthcare. 

I believe that Harry Truman said it best when he stated, “We should resolve now that the health of this nation is a national concern; that financial barriers in the way of attaining health shall be removed; that the health of all its citizens deserves the help of all the nation.”  Like Harry Truman, I believe that universal access to adequate healthcare is an issue of equality and therefore is and should be a fundamental right that our nation should extended to each of its citizens, unimpeded by financial constraints.   

To help move America closer to realizing this goal, I have jointly introduced 3 pieces of legislation with some of my colleagues in Congress that would cut the number of uninsured Americans in half.  This first is The Family Care Act. 

This act builds upon the Medicaid and CHIP programs by providing new funding to cover working parents and makes it easier for states to find and enroll eligible children and their parents into these programs.  Parents of children who qualify for CHIP frequently work at jobs where access to employer-based healthcare is not an option and this legislation would change that fact. 

The second piece of legislation is The Medicare Early Access Act.  This bill provides an effective and efficient solution to covering the 3.5 million uninsured people age 55 and over who are not currently eligible for Medicare.  The Act would allow people between the ages of 55 and 64 to purchase Medicare.

The third bill is the Small Business Health Insurance Promotion Act. This legislation offers small businesses, including the self-employed, help in securing affordable health insurance by creating a 50 percent tax credit.  Therefore, this act would in effect cut the cost of healthcare for small businesses and their employees in half.

Together, these bills could provide health insurance to more than 45 million uninsured Americans.  They are targeted to build on existing programs and ensure that three fast-growing vulnerable segments of the uninsured have access to affordable health coverage:  the low-income, near-elderly, and small business employees.

While I believe these proposals are a good start and will greatly help our nation, I know that more needs to be done.  I look forward to today’s lively and informative discussion and I am willing to work to enact any solutions we may craft together.  I also would like to commend everyone here today for their willingness to take on the challenge of serving as ambassadors to the idea that every American should have access to healthcare coverage. Thank you all again and I look forward to your comments.