PRESS RELEASE

AAPCHO Applauds Introduction of the LIFT the BAR Act in Congress

September 10, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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WASHINGTON—The Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations released the following statement on the introduction of the LIFT the BAR Act in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Tony Cárdenas (CA-29). The LIFT the BAR Act is important legislation that 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:  

“Health care is a human right, and it is wrong for immigrants to be denied access to the health and other social services they need. Many immigrants, including AAs and PIs, work as essential and front-line workers, who are critical to keeping our communities safe and running. As the COVID-19 pandemic has made clear, delaying health care and forcing them to wait five years to access these programs hurts all communities. It is more difficult and expensive for health care providers to care for and treat their patients. AAPCHO and our member community health centers commend Congresswoman Jayapal, Congressman Cárdenas, and their colleagues for their leadership in introducing this important legislation. We urge Congress to pass the LIFT the BAR Act and eliminate this discriminatory anti-immigrant policy.”

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