“...13 million steps back.”

SEIU Local 121RN President Gayle Batiste, RN, CNOR, released the following statement:

“Those on Capitol Hill continue their relentless attacks on Americans’ healthcare. They tried all summer and into the fall—and failed due to public outcry—to dismantle the Affordable Care Act. And despite the immense unpopularity of these efforts, they have buried another ACA attack in this tax bill.

“This tax plan would lead to 13 million Americans losing their healthcare coverage. That is not what the President promised. Early in his campaign, he said that he would ‘take care of everybody. Everybody’s going to be taken care of much better than they’re taken care of now.’ Just last February, he tweeted that he would increase access, lower costs and provide better care. And yet he has strongly supported every plan to date that would leave millions without any healthcare coverage at all.

“To be ‘great’ we need strong communities, and strong communities are not sick communities. Strong communities have access to quality, affordable healthcare, clean air and water, good union jobs and policies that protect our families. Having the stock market do great because the billionaires and corporations continue to get even bigger tax breaks is not going to strengthen our communities—it’ll just mean marinas crowded with even more yachts.

“The cost of not having quality insurance when illness hits will again force many families to declare bankruptcy, just as they did before the ACA. This, like all the other plans to dismantle the ACA, is a death sentence for our most vulnerable patients, those with chronic health problems, the elderly, children and the disabled.

“The ACA has brought significant progress to this country. It brought healthcare to millions of Americans who were locked out. We need to move forward, not take 13 million steps back.”

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Service Employees International Union, Local 121RN represents 8,500 registered nurses and other healthcare professionals at 23 hospitals in Los Angeles and surrounding counties. This member-led organization is committed to supporting optimum working conditions that allow nurses to provide quality patient care and safety.