Introduction of the Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2020

Floor Speech

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Mr. GARCIA of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2020.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is disproportionately affecting communities of color--including Latino, African American, and Asian American communities--who already face exacerbated risk factors for health inequities. This unprecedented public health crisis underscores the health disparities and racial inequities that have existed in the U.S. health care system for many years. Most importantly, it points to the need to implement a comprehensive and strategic plan to improve the health and well-being of communities of color through a health equity perspective, which the Health Equity Accountability Act (HEAA) puts forth.

HEAA 2020 provides critical federal resources and establishes policies and infrastructure to eliminate long-standing health inequities. It would improve data collection and reporting, expand access to health care, build more robust telehealth systems, implement more culturally and linguistically appropriate care, and eliminate Medicaid funding limitations for the U.S. territories, among other priorities for the communities we represent.

For the past 17 years, the Congressional Tri-Caucus--comprised of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC)--has led to the introduction of the Health Equity and Accountability Act (HEAA).

Since its initial introduction, HEAA has resulted in key legislative proposals that have been passed into law--such as the Affordable Health Care Act (ACA), the creation of the Office of Minority Health, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act.

I urge this body to swiftly pass this legislation.

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