FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, May 4, 2017

CONTACT: Bryn Lloyd-Bollard | bryn.lloydbollard@1199.org | (732) 606-5949

Statement of Milly Silva, Executive Vice President of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, regarding the House's passage of the American Health Care Act (AHCA):

“The AHCA ends Medicaid as we know it and throws millions of vulnerable Americans off of their healthcare.

Hundreds of thousands of New Jersey residents—seniors, children with disabilities, and individuals with pre-existing conditions—are now at grave risk of losing access to vital health services if this appalling bill passes the Senate.

An overwhelming number of doctors and health policy experts, including the American Medical Association, have condemned the amended AHCA bill for the damage it will do to our health system. It is truly shameful that Rep. Tom MacArthur, Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, and the Republican Congressional leadership have totally ignored reality in advancing this legislation.

For New Jersey residents, two of our own Congressional representatives put reckless partisan politics over people’s health.

The healthcare workers of 1199SEIU reject the AHCA in the strongest terms and call for bipartisan consensus in the Senate to stop this bill for good and save countless lives.”

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1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in New Jersey and nationwide. We represent over 16,000 healthcare families in New Jersey and over 400,000 total members throughout New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, Florida, and Washington, D.C. Our mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all.