[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 53 (Friday, May 5, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E746-E747]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 COMMEMORATING COVER THE UNINSURED WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 4, 2006

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Cover the 
Uninsured Week.

[[Page E747]]

Since its inception in 2003, the week held from May 1-May 7, recognizes 
the plight of one of the greatest threats to our Nation--46 million 
Americans who lack health insurance coverage.
  This important initiative is led by former Presidents Gerald Ford and 
Jimmy Carter. During the week, community-based events are organized 
throughout the Nation to heighten public awareness about the importance 
of making health care coverage a civil right and a priority on our 
public policy agenda. Over the past three years, the week of events has 
included health fairs, seminars for small businesses, as well as faith-
based, college and university activities.
  Mr. Speaker, 46 million Americans--which equates to 15 percent of the 
population--are living without any form of health insurance coverage. 
As a Nation that embodies democracy and spreads its principles of 
equality throughout the world, we should be shocked by this astounding 
figure. The statistics regarding the uninsured are equally shocking:
  Proportionately, Hispanics and African-Americans have been hit the 
hardest by our failure to provide health care for all. At least 60 
percent of Hispanic Americans, more than 43 percent of African 
Americans, and 23 percent of Caucasians are among the uninsured.
  More than one in four uninsured adults (or 26.6 percent) have less 
than a high school education.
  Only 9 percent of people in families with income over $50,000 per 
year are uninsured, compared to 40.8 percent of people with family 
income below $5,000.
  A national survey conducted in 2003 found that almost six in 10 
uninsured adults (59 percent) have been without health insurance for 
two years or more.
  In the state of Maryland, approximately 810,000 people, 14.6 percent 
of the total population, lack health insurance coverage.
  Mr. Speaker, these statistics illustrate something very concrete and 
clear: the human consequences of having tens of millions of Americans 
uninsured are appalling. Necessary medical treatment is being delayed 
too long or altogether, and the Americans are dying unnecessarily.

  Apart from this fact, the employment-based health insurance system, 
which provides health insurance for almost two-thirds of the non-
elderly population, is also broken.
  The reasons are complex, but this much is clear.
  Too many Americans are working at low-paid or part-time jobs that do 
not provide health Insurance coverage.
  Insurance costs are increasing--and those employers who do offer 
coverage are attempting to shift more and more of those costs onto 
their employees.
  We also know that those areas of our economy in which any job growth 
is occurring are about 10 percent less likely to provide health care 
coverage than those in which the number of available jobs is shrinking.
  Mr. Speaker, based on all of these facts, the time to change our 
Nation's healthcare equation is upon us. There has to be a better way 
to ensure universal, high quality care. I am convinced that there is no 
human right more fundamental than the preservation of life. Wealth 
should not be a pre-condition to world class health care in a nation 
that truly values all of its people.
  With that said, I have joined Michigan Congressman John Conyers and 
many others in proposing the United States National Health Insurance 
Act (H.R. 676).
  This proposal would create a nation-wide, single-payer health care 
system that is publicly financed but provides private care. It would 
include expanding and improving the existing Medicare program to cover 
Americans of all ages. Under the plan, Americans would retain (or 
regain) the right to choose their own doctors. Other health care 
professionals and all medically necessary services would be covered. 
There would also be neither co-pays nor deductibles.
  Today, I encourage my colleagues to work with us in advancing the 
vision of universal health care for the following three reasons:
  We must not allow the sick and dying Americans in our communities to 
be marginalized.
  We must make common cause with all of the Americans to provide the 
care that they need at a cost that they can afford.
  We must be clear in our assertion that health care is a fundamental 
human right whatever may be the color of a person's skin.
  Now is the time to create a health care system that truly serves ALL 
Americans and now is the time for America to transform our human right 
to health care into a civil right guaranteed--and funded--by federal 
law. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor H.R. 676.

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