Padilla Introduces Resolution to Declare Racism a Public Health Crisis
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) introduced a Senate Resolution to declare racism a public health crisis. The resolution calls on Congress to establish a nationwide strategy to address health disparities and inequities across all sectors in society.
“Racism and its compounding impacts have harmed the health and well-being of communities of color across America for generations,” said Senator Padilla. “Declaring racism as a public health crisis is an initial step to bring more attention to these deep-rooted inequities, but we have much more work to do to address these disparities and deliver justice for millions of Americans.”
“This resolution is an important step toward recognizing that communities of color, particularly Black, Indigenous, and Latino communities, face disproportionate rates of chronic illness, shorter life expectancies, and increased barriers to quality health care,” said Senator Booker. “These disparities are not accidents. They are the direct result of decades of unjust policies and systems that determine whether your air or water is clean, or how close your family is to a toxic waste site. I remain committed to working with my colleagues to dismantle the systemic injustices that continue to impact the health outcomes of communities of color across America.”
“Racism is deadly for people of color, adversely impacting access to health care resources and disproportionately exacerbating health outcomes of marginalized communities including life expectancy, infant mortality, maternal morbidity, risk of cancer, and more,” said Senator Hirono. “The first step in addressing a crisis is naming it, which is why I am proud to reintroduce this resolution recognizing the impacts of systemic racism on the health of minority groups, and reaffirming our commitment to addressing health disparities and inequity across all communities.”
The resolution acknowledges the history of racism and discrimination within health care and the systemic barriers that people of color continue to face when seeking care. It also highlights the effects of systemic racism on the health and wellness of communities of color, resulting in shorter life expectancy, worsened health outcomes, and increased exposure to harmful or dangerous environments. Additionally, the resolution encourages concrete action to address health disparities and inequity across all sectors in society.
Additionally, the resolution calls on the United States Congress to:
- Dismantle systemic practices and policies that perpetuate racism.
- Advance reforms to address years of neglectful and apathetic policies that have led to poor health outcomes for members of racial and ethnic minority groups.
- Promote efforts to urgently address the social determinants of health for all racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States.
In addition to Padilla, Booker, and Hirono, the resolution was cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
Representatives Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.-05) and Delia C. Ramirez (D-Ill.-03) introduced a companion resolution in the House.
Full text of the resolution is available here.
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