[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 51 (Wednesday, May 3, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H1986]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        COVER THE UNINSURED WEEK

  (Ms. SOLIS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of the goals of Cover 
the Uninsured Week. Nearly 46 million Americans, including more than 8 
million children, are living without health insurance. More than one-
third are Latinos, 20 percent are African Americans, and about 19 
percent are Asian Pacific Islanders who lack any form of health care 
insurance. In California, one out of five uninsured is a child under 
the age of 18.
  Many current health proposals offered by Republicans will do more 
harm than help people living in districts like mine. Association health 
plans which ignore our State regulations are not working for families. 
Health saving accounts will do nothing to improve the well-being of our 
families in districts like mine.
  Instead, Congress should be taking action to ensure that no child has 
to skip needed health care examinations. We should ensure that working 
families never have to choose between going to see a doctor and putting 
food on the table. We must work to eliminate racial and ethnic health 
care disparities.
  Together, minorities comprise about 46 percent of the uninsured 
population. All these groups represent only 24 percent of the U.S. 
population. However, insurance coverage is an important predictor of 
whether individuals obtain health-promoting and life-extending 
services.

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