IndiaPost.com - Congress leaders address minority disparities at Health Summit

SAN DIEGO, CA: The members of Congress participated in the annual Tri-Caucus Minority Health Summit. The Health Summit unites Members from the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) with health advocates, community organizers, and health experts from various fields to address health disparities among our minority communities.

"Five years ago, I conceived the idea of the Tri-Caucus Health Summit. This year, I am proud to be joined by members of the Congressional Hispanic, Black, and Asian Pacific American Caucuses to learn firsthand from health experts and grass roots advocates about innovative ways to address health challenges facing communities of color," said Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis, Chair of the CHC Task Force on Health and the Environment.

"The effort of the Tri-Caucus sends a clear message that there is power in our numbers. I look forward to bringing the ideas and innovative methods we learned back to Congress." "Addressing health disparities has long been a priority for the Hispanic Caucus.

Hispanics are disproportionately affected by heart disease, cancer and diabetes- as a result we must educate our community of the necessary health precautions. It all starts by providing culturally and linguistically appropriate Health Care," said Congressman Joe Baca, Chair of the CHC.

For five years we have gathered with our friends and colleagues in the Tri-Caucus to face the challenge of compelling Congress to address this issue and assure that our minority communities have access to quality healthcare, and we will continue to work until this challenge is met."

"I am thrilled to have participated in the Fifth Annual Congressional Tri-Caucus Health Summit," said Congressman Mike Honda, Chair of the CAPAC. "Contrary to stereotypes depicting Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) as 'model minorities' enduring few social problems, AAPIs face significant obstacles to obtaining quality healthcare and have higher rates of certain preventable diseases, such as hepatitis B and tuberculosis, than the general population.

AAPIs and other ethnic minorities face cultural and linguistic barriers, and lack of health insurance. Approximately one-third of AAPIs live in linguistic isolation, 21 percent are uninsured, and even more are underinsured. For five years, the Summit has provided an invaluable forum to find solutions to and raise awareness surrounding these disparities.

I am proud to have been a part of this effort. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass H.R. 3014, the Tri-Caucus Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2007, which would address these disparities." "Universal health care is the single most important civil rights issue of our time.

Just as we fought against second class citizenship in the 1960s, we must now refuse to accept second class health care for our most vulnerable citizens," said Congressman John Conyers. "It is clear that minority health disparities are the result of a health care system that favors the affluent and the healthy.

I strongly believe that the only way to eliminate health disparities is to establish a system of universal health care that is affordable, accessible and high-quality for all Americans. For these reasons, the coming together of the Congressional Tri-Caucus to work together on these issues continues to be of great importance."