Dear Senator, We, the undersigned organizations a coalition of national and state Latino, Asian, faith, labor, immigrant, civil rights, health, and human services organizations - are grateful for your recent NO vote on Senator Sessions anti-immigrant amendment 614 to the budget resolution. This amendment would have denied immigrants who earn legal status, and possibly even citizenship, access to federal health insurance programs including Medicaid, Medicare, the Children s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and the new exchange subsidies that will make health insurance more affordable under the Affordable Care Act. This measure would have undermined the bi-partisan momentum forged in the Senate for immigration reform. Also, as a result, many would have been at risk for being uninsured for much or all of their lives, rather than having the opportunity to pay their fair share for health insurance. This makes no sense. People without health care coverage generally end up costing the system more because they access care at the point when their illness has progressed. Further, the amendment would have sent a signal to aspiring citizens that they would not be treated the same as other Americans even after they achieve legal status. Thank you for your commitment to thoughtful deliberation of immigration reform and for reaffirming our values of justice and opportunity and equal treatment under the law. It will make for a stronger, more prosperous nation. We sincerely hope we can count on your support when the immigration bill comes to the floor later this spring. 9to5 Advocacy and Training Center Advocacy for Justice and Peace Committee of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia Advocates for Youth AIDS Community Research Initiative of America Alliance for a Just Society Alliance for Children & Families American Academy of Nursing American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Anti-Defamation League Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum Asian American Justice Center, Member of Asian American Center for Advancing Justice Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations Association of Reproductive Health Professionals (ARHP) Black Women s Health Imperative Breakthrough The Center for APA Women Center for Community Change Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)
Center for Women Policy Studies Civil Liberties and Public Policy Program The Children's Partnership Coalition of Labor Union Women Coalition on Human Needs Communications Workers of America Community Action Partnership Community Catalyst Democratic Socialists of America Families USA Farmworker Justice First Focus Campaign for Children Forward Together Friends Committee on National Legislation Health Care for America Now Hispanic Federation Immigrant Legal Resource Center Immigration Equality Action Fund International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, UAW Latino Commission on AIDS Leadership Conference of Women Religious Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights League of United Latin American Citizens Methodist Federation for Social Action NALEO Educational Fund National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF) National Association of Social Workers National Council of Jewish Women National Council of La Raza National Crittenton Foundation National Employment Law Project National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund National Hispanic Medical Association National Immigration Law Center National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health National Network of Abortion Funds National Women's Health Network Physicians for Reproductive Health Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Project Inform Provincial Council of the Clerics of St. Viator (Viatorians) Raising Women's Voices for the Health Care We Need Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice Reproductive Health Access Project Reproductive Health Technologies Project RESULTS Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Sisters of Mercy West Midwest Justice Team Student Action with Farmworkers Union for Reform Judaism Unitarian Universalist Association United We Dream Network Wen H. Ko and Associates Westchester for Change Youth and Young Adult Network of the National Farm Worker Ministry YWCA USA 2013 Committee to Elect Paulina Miranda for State Senator, 16th District (CA) ACCESS Women's Health Justice (CA) Advocates for Women (MA) Alaska Center for Public Policy Alliance San Diego (CA) Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families Arkansas United Community Coalition Asian Services In Action, Inc. (OH) Association for Latino American Studies (NY) California Pan-Ethnic Health Network Canal Alliance (CA) Casa Latina (WA) Center for Interfaith Encounter (MN) Central Ohio Immigrant Justice Centro de Orientacion del Inmigrante Codi (FL) Coalition for Asian American Children & Families (NY) Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CA) Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights Community Housing of Maine Community Service Society of NY Dominican Development Center (MA)
East Central Illinois Refugee Mutual Assistance Center El Pueblo, Inc. (NC) Empire Justice Center (NY) Encuentro (NM) The Farmworker Association of Florida, Inc Feminist Women's Health Center- Lifting Latina Voices Initiative (GA) Florida Immigrant Coalition Guadalupe Centers, Inc. (MO) The Hat Project (WA) Health Care For All New York Hispanic Economic Development Corporation (HEDC) (MO) Hispanic Women's Organization of Arkansas Idaho Community Action Network Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota Immigrant Rights Working Group of Guilford County (NC) Indiana Catholic Conference Latin American Coalition (NC) Latino Education & Training Institute (WA) Loyola New Orleans College of Law, Stuart H. Smith Law Clinic and Center for Social Justice (LA) LSA Family Health Service (NY) LULAC Arkansas Make the Road New York Maryland Women's Coalition for Health Care Reform Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition Mattie Rhodes Center (MO) Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance (MIRA) Montana Immigrant Justice Alliance National Council of Jewish Women - Greater Houston Section (TX) National Council of Jewish Women - Long Beach Section (CA) National Council of Jewish Women - Illinois State Policy Advocacy Committee New Mexico Asian Family Center New Sanctuary Coalition (NY) New York Lawyers for the Public Interest New Yorkers for Accessible Health Coverage North Carolina Council of Churches Northwest Arkansas Workers' Justice Center Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (WA) The Office of Latino Academic Advancement (AR) OMNI Center for Peace, Justice & Ecology (AR)
OneAmerica (WA) Piedmont Health Services (NC) Project CHARGE (NY) Puentes New Orleans (LA) Redwood Community Health Coalition (CA) Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (CA) Silicon Valley Alliance for Immigration Reform (SVAIR) (CA) Social Justice Council Unitarian Universalist Church in Meriden (CT) Southern Coalition for Social Justice (NC) Sylvan Pathways (NC) Uganda Community in Greater Chicago, Inc. (IL) United Action CT Violence Intervention Program (NY) Vision y Compromiso (CA) Washtenaw Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights (MI) WeCount! (FL) Women Watch Afrika, Inc. (GA) Women's Law Project (PA) WV FREE, Advocates for Women's Health, Rights and Justice