PRESS RELEASE
AAPCHO Applauds Bicameral Introduction of the LIFT the BAR Act
June 15, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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WASHINGTON—The Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO) issued the following statement applauding the reintroduction of the Lifting Immigrant Families Through Benefits Access Restoration Act (LIFT the BAR) in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. The bill is led by Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Tony Cardenas (CA-29) and Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI).
If enacted, the LIFT the BAR Act would repeal anti-immigrant provisions in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) that restrict lawfully present immigrants from accessing key health and other federal benefits programs such as Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Importantly, it would enable lawfully present immigrants, including Asian Americans (AAs) and Pacific Islanders (PIs) served at community health centers, who would otherwise be eligible for these programs to access them without the discriminatory five-year waiting period.
Adam Carbullido, AAPCHO’s director of policy and advocacy, said:
“Forcing immigrants to wait five years before they can access health and other essential services is wrong and undermines public health. These restrictions have made it difficult for immigrant families, including millions of AAs and PIs, to get the care they need. AAPCHO and our member community health centers applaud Representatives Jayapal and Cardenas, Senator Hirono, and their colleagues for introducing this important bicameral legislation. We are confident it will lead to better health outcomes and make it easier and less expensive for healthcare providers to treat patients. We urge Congress to pass it without delay.”
About AAPCHO
AAPCHO is a national association of community health organizations dedicated to promoting advocacy, collaboration and leadership that improves the health status and access of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders in the United States, the U.S. territories, and Freely Associated States. For more information on AAPCHO, please visit www.aapcho.org.
Contact
Kristine Cecile Alarcon, MPH, (510) 671-5054, kalarcon@aapcho.org