FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Julian Teixeira
(202) 776-1812
jteixeira@nclr.org

The 27th annual NCLR (National Council of La Raza) Capital Awards gala, which recognizes both Democratic and Republican elected officials who promote legislation and public policies that benefit Hispanic Americans, will honor two groups that have been outspoken on issues that significantly impact the Latino community. Presenting two awards this year, NCLR will pay tribute to the U.S. Senate “Gang of Eight” for their steadfast commitment to advocating for passage of immigration reform. Last April, the bipartisan group of senators, which includes Michael Bennet (D–Colo.), Richard Durbin (D–Ill.), Jeff Flake (R–Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (R–S.C.), John McCain (R–Ariz.), Robert Menendez (D–N.J.), Marco Rubio (R–Fla.) and Chuck Schumer (D–N.Y.), introduced the “Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013” (S. 744), designed to overhaul the nation’s outdated and broken immigration system. The bill, which would go a long way toward improving the nation’s immigration policies, passed in the Senate in late June.

NCLR will also honor Fast for Families with the NCLR Capital Award for Public Service. This group is recognized for embodying the moral core of the immigration movement and the fight for just reform. With this award, NCLR pays tribute to the fasters who selflessly gave face to this effort. Fast for Families recently kicked off a nationwide bus tour and will be hosting events throughout the country, continuing to show leaders from the House of Representatives the sacrifices that individuals will make in order for comprehensive immigration legislation to be enacted.

More than 750 corporate, legislative and community leaders will be in attendance as NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía presents the awards to the 2014 recipients.
NBC News Correspondent Miguel Almaguer will serve as master of ceremonies at the event. Hyundai and Wells Fargo are event co-chairs, with additional sponsorship from BP, Univision, UPS, Verizon, Ford and Pepsico. Last year’s recipients included former Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg, California Attorney General Kamala Harris and Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist José Antonio Vargas.

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHO:

Janet Murguía, President and CEO, NCLR
Members of the Senate Gang of Eight
Fast for Families
Miguel Almaguer

WHAT: 2014 NCLR Capital Awards Gala

WHEN: March 4, 2014, 6:30–9:00 p.m.

WHERE:

National Building Museum
401 F Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20001

To attend and cover, please contact Julian Teixeira, Director of Communications, at jteixeira@nclr.org or (202) 776-1812.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Apreill Hartsfield, Southern Poverty Law Center, (334) 782-6624; apreill.hartsfield@splcenter.org
Darcey Rakestraw, Food & Water Watch, (202) 683-2467; drakestraw@fwwatch.org
Mary Babic, Oxfam America, (617) 517-9475; mbabic@OxfamAmerica.org
Joseph Rendeiro, National Council of La Raza, (202) 776-1566; jrendeiro@nclr.org
Jeff Sheldon, Nebraska Appleseed, (402) 438-8853, (402) 840-7289; jsheldon@neappleseed.org
Sherri Jones, Coalition of Poultry Workers, (601) 899-2327

WASHINGTON – Congressman Bennie Thompson and other congressional leaders joined poultry workers today urging the Administration to stop the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from allowing poultry plants to increase processing line speeds – a decision likely to lead to more worker injuries and threaten consumer safety.

The USDA plans to enact new regulations soon that will increase line speed from a maximum of 140 birds per minute to 175, despite ample evidence that work speed is a primary contributor to worker injuries. This rule – pitched as an attempt to “modernize” the industry – also would remove hundreds of federal inspectors from the processing lines and replace them with plant workers charged with the responsibility of identifying and removing tainted chicken. There are no training requirements for these workers. The USDA is the only federal agency regulating processing line speeds in poultry plants.

The coalition, led by Thompson (D-Miss.), briefed congressional staff about the dangers of this proposal. Mississippi’s poultry industry directly employs more than 28,000 people. The state produced more than 750 million chickens in 2010, ranking it fourth among all states.

“Increasing line speed not only increases the risk of injury to line workers, but also compromises the health of American consumers,” said Congressman Bennie G. Thompson (MS – 02). With over 28,000 Mississippi poultry workers and millions nationally, the USDA is unnecessarily endangering the lives of millions of Americans. I urge the Administration to move swiftly and stop the USDA from allowing increased line speeds in poultry plants.”

Meat and poultry workers often make 20,000 or more cuts a day. These work speeds lead to debilitating repetitive motion injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Workers also endure knife cuts and respiratory illnesses. A recent Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) survey of 302 current and former poultry workers in Alabama found that 72 percent of the respondents described suffering a significant work-related injury or illness. Alabama is the nation’s third-largest poultry producer.

The SPLC report, Unsafe at These Speeds: Alabama’s Poultry Industry and its Disposable Workers, found that workers often attributed their injuries to the already-punishing pace of the line. Some poultry workers have even described having to urinate on themselves rather than anger a supervisor by leaving the line to use the restroom.

“The hard-working people who produce our food should be protected from dangerous conditions,” said Tom Fritzsche, SPLC staff attorney and report author. “Many of these workers are fearful of losing their jobs if they report injuries or ask for safer working conditions. This silence enables companies to hide injury rates that are far higher than what they publicly report.”

There are no set of mandatory guidelines to protect the health of poultry workers. The U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) does not regulate line speeds or enforce safety rules tailored for the unique dangers of poultry plants. OSHA has yet to respond to a formal petition filed last summer by some coalition members that urged the agency to create work speed protections in the poultry and meat industries.

“We are deeply concerned about the implications of the proposed policy on the safety and well-being of workers and consumers,” said Hilary O. Shelton, director of the NAACP Washington Bureau and the senior vice president for policy and advocacy. “Furthermore, the proposed elimination of federal inspectors from the processing lines can potentially lead to a significant decrease in the quality of chickens in our supermarkets and restaurants and on our dinner tables.”

During the coalition’s visit to Capitol Hill, poultry plant workers provided first-hand accounts to members of Congress and their staff about the dangers of their workplace. These workers included Salvadora Roman, who worked for 17 years at a plant in Decatur, Ala., deboning chickens.

“My hands couldn’t take the fast line speeds anymore,” she said. “They would fall asleep when I was working on the line. The pain was so bad that it kept me awake at night.”

Roman was fired after she missed work for a doctor’s appointment for the injuries she sustained working at the plant.

“Across the country, meat and poultry workers are suffering permanent injuries from impossible work speeds,” said Omaid Zabih, Nebraska Appleseed staff attorney. “The poultry rule expands a pilot program that has had truly worrisome outcomes in both poultry and pork plants. This is a dangerous direction for poultry and pork could be next.”

The prospect of hundreds of federal inspectors being replaced by workers fearful of angering their employers by slowing the line to remove a contaminated bird has raised concerns at Food & Water Watch.

“This step is not only bad for workers, it’s terrible for consumers,” said Tony Corbo, senior lobbyist at Food & Water Watch, a national advocacy organization. “It’s the first step in deregulating meat inspections, which means fewer consumer and worker protections. If this USDA rule is implemented, weaker beef inspections will follow.”

Removing federal inspectors from poultry plants also creates a conflict of interest by allowing plants to oversee their own safety inspections.

“Safer food begins with safer workplaces,” said Janet Murguía, president and CEO of the National Council of La Raza, who noted that 2-in-5 poultry workers in this country are Latino. “Instead of advancing a proposal that would make already dangerous workplaces even more hazardous, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez must work together to improve worker safety in the poultry industry.”

Stopping the USDA proposal is also a matter of protecting workers’ human rights.

“Poultry workers are suffering because of the fast line speeds; already it’s a dangerous job with 20,000 repetitive cutting, pulling, grabbing, or hanging motions per shift,” said Minor Sinclair, U.S. director of Oxfam America. “If approved, this rule would increase that by 25 percent. It’s unacceptable that our government would sanction working conditions that threaten the safety of our food and the basic human rights of American workers.”

Other organizations opposing this rule include Center for Effective Government, Center for Progressive Reform, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, Coalition of Poultry Workers, Northwest Arkansas Worker Justice Center and Coalition of Black Trade Unionists Western North Carolina Worker Center.

###

PARA PUBLICACIÓN INMEDIATA

Contacto:
Apreill Hartsfield, Southern Poverty Law Center, (334) 782-6624; apreill.hartsfield@splcenter.org
Darcey Rakestraw, Food & Water Watch, (202) 683-2467; drakestraw@fwwatch.org
Mary Babic, Oxfam America, (617) 517-9475; mbabic@OxfamAmerica.org
Joseph Rendeiro, National Council of La Raza, (202) 776-1566; jrendeiro@nclr.org
Jeff Sheldon, Nebraska Appleseed, (402) 438-8853, (402) 840-7289; jsheldon@neappleseed.org
Sherri Jones, Coalition of Poultry Workers, (601) 899-2327

Urgen a la Administración a tomar Acción

WASHINGTON – El congresista Bennie Thompson y otros líderes del congreso se unieron a los trabajadores agrícolas el día de hoy para urgir a la Administración a parar al Departamento de Agricultura de los EE.UU. (USDA) de permitir que las plantas procesadoras avícola incrementen la velocidad de las líneas de procesamiento – una decisión que lo más probable causara más lesiones a los trabajadores y amenaza la seguridad del consumidor.

El USDA planea promulgar muy pronto nuevas normas que incrementaran la velocidad de las líneas de un máximo de 140 aves por minuto a 175, a pesar de las numerosas pruebas de que la velocidad de trabajo es el primer contribuyente a las lesiones de los trabajadores. Esta norma – dirigida a una tentativa de “modernizar” la industria – también removería a cientos de inspectores federales de las líneas de procesamiento y los remplazaría con trabajadores de la planta quienes estarían encargados con la responsabilidad de identificar y remover aves contaminadas. No hay requisitos de entrenamiento para estos trabajadores. El USDA es la única agencia federal encargada de controlar las velocidades de líneas de procesamiento en plantas avícolas.

La coalición, dirigida por Thompson (D-Miss.), informó al personal del congreso acerca de los peligros de esta propuesta. La industria avícola de Mississippi directamente emplea a más de 28,000 personas. El estado produjo más de 750 millones de pollos en 2010, situándolo en cuarto lugar entre todos los estados.

“El incrementar la velocidad de la línea no sólo incrementa el riesgo de lesiones a los trabajadores de la línea, sino que también compromete la salud de los consumidores estadounidenses,” dijo el Congresista Bennie G. Thompson (MS – 02). Con más de 28,000 trabajadores avícolas en Mississippi y millones a nivel nacional, el USDA está, sin ninguna necesidad, poniendo en peligro las vidas de millones de estadounidenses. Yo incito a la Administración a actuar rápidamente y parar a USDA de permitir el incremento de la velocidad en las líneas de las plantas avícolas.”

Los trabajadores avícolas y de carne con frecuencia hacen 20,000 cortes o más al día. Estas velocidades de trabajo llevan a lesiones de movimientos repetitivos y debilitantes, tales como síndrome del túnel carpiano. Los trabajadores también sufren de cortaduras con cuchillo y enfermedades respiratorias. Una encuesta reciente del Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) de 302 trabajadores avícolas actuales y anteriores en Alabama encontró que un 72 por ciento de los participantes describieron el sufrir graves lesiones y enfermedades relacionadas con este trabajo. Alabama es el tercer más grande productor avícola en la nación.

El reporte de SPLC, Unsafe at These Speeds: Alabama’s Poultry Industry and its Disposable Workers, encontró que con frecuencia los trabajadores atribuían sus lesiones al paso ya castigador de la línea. Algunos de los trabajadores avícolas describieron que en vez de hacer enojar a sus supervisores preferían orinarse en si mismos para no abandonar la línea para ir al baño.

“La gente que trabaja tan duro para producir nuestra comida debería de estar protegida de condiciones peligrosas,” dijo Tom Fritzsche, abogado del SPLC y autor del reporte. “Muchos de estos trabajadores tienen temor de perder sus trabajos si reportan lesiones o piden condiciones de trabajo más seguras. Este silencio permite que las compañías no reporten la tasa de lesiones que son mucho más altas de las que se reportan públicamente.”

No existe una pauta obligatoria para proteger la salud de los trabajadores avícolas. La Administración de Salud y Seguridad Ocupacional de los EE.UU (OSHA) no controla la velocidad de la línea o hace cumplir las reglas de seguridad diseñadas para los peligros específicos en las plantas avícolas. OSHA aún no responde a una petición formal presentada el verano pasado por algunos miembros de la coalición que urgieron a la agencia a crear protecciones en la velocidad de trabajo en las industrias de carne y avícolas.

“Estamos muy preocupados por las implicaciones de la política propuesta por la seguridad y bienestar de los trabajadores y los consumidores,” dijo Hilary O. Shelton, directora de la NAACP Washington Bureau y vice-presidente ejecutivo de políticas y abogacía. “Además, la propuesta de eliminación de inspectores federales de las líneas de procesamiento puede potencialmente llevar a una reducción significativa en la calidad de las aves en nuestros supermercados y restaurants y en nuestras mesas.”

Durante la visita de la coalición a Capitol Hill, los trabajadores avícolas de las plantas compartieron de primera mano a miembros del Congreso y su personal acerca de los peligros del lugar de trabajo. Estos trabajadores incluían a Salvadora Román, quien trabajó por 17 años deshuesando pollos en una planta en Decatur, Ala.

“Mis manos ya no podían mas con la velocidad tan alta de las líneas,” dijo ella. “Ellas se me dormían cuando estaba yo trabajando en la línea. El dolor era tan fuerte que me mantenía despierta durante la noche.”

A Román la despidieron después de no poder presentarse al trabajo por asistir a una cita médica por las lesiones ocasionadas por el trabajo en la planta.

“Por todo el país, los trabajadores avícolas y de carne están sufriendo lesiones permanentes por velocidades de trabajo imposibles,” dijo Omaid Zabih, abogado de Appleseed en Nebraska. “La regla avícola expande un programa piloto que ha tenido verdaderamente resultados preocupantes, tanto para las plantas avícolas como las plantas de carne de puerco. Esta es una dirección peligrosa para la industria avícola y la de carne de puerco pudiera ser la siguiente.”

La posibilidad de que cientos de inspectores federales sean remplazados por trabajadores temerosos de hacer enojar a sus empleadores por disminuir la velocidad de la línea para remover aves contaminadas crea preocupaciones en el Food & Water Watch.

“Este paso no sólo es malo para los trabajadores, es terrible para los consumidores,” dijo Tony Corbo, principal cabildero de Food & Water Watch, una organización nacional de defensores. “Este es el primer paso para desregular las inspecciones de carne, lo cual significa menos protecciones al consumidor y al trabajador. Si esta regla de USDA es implementada, inspecciones de carne más débiles serán siguiente paso.”

Remover a los inspectores federales de las plantas avícolas también crea un conflicto de intereses al permitir a las plantas monitorear sus propias inspecciones de seguridad.

“Comida saludable empieza con lugares de trabajo seguros,” dijo Janet Murguía, presidenta y CEO de National Council of La Raza, quien indicó que de 2 de cada 5 trabajadores avícolas en este país son latinos. “En lugar de avanzar con una propuesta que haría los ya peligrosos lugares de trabajo aún más arriesgados, el Secretario de Agricultura Tom Vilsack y el Secretario de Trabajo Thomas Perez deben de trabajar juntos para mejorar la seguridad de los trabajadores en la industria avícola.”

Parar la propuesta de USDA es también un asunto de protección a los derechos humanos de los trabajadores.

“Los trabajadores avícolas están sufriendo por la alta velocidad de la línea; ya lo que es un trabajo peligroso, con 20,000 movimientos repetitivos, cortando, jalando, tomando las aves o colgando en cada turno,” dijo Minor Sinclair, director de Oxfam America de los EE.UU. “Si se aprueba, esta regla incrementará esto en un 25 por ciento. No es aceptable que nuestro gobierno apruebe condiciones de trabajo que amenazan la seguridad de nuestros alimentos y los derechos humanos básicos de los trabajadores estadounidenses. ”

Otras organizaciones que se oponen a esta regla incluyen el Center for Effective Government, Center for Progressive Reform, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, Coalition of Poultry Workers, Northwest Arkansas Workers’ Justice Center and Coalition of Black Trade Unionists Western North Carolina Worker Center.

###

PARA PUBLICACIÓN INMEDIATA

Contacto:
Apreill Hartsfield, Southern Poverty Law Center, (334) 782-6624; apreill.hartsfield@splcenter.org
Darcey Rakestraw, Food & Water Watch, (202) 683-2467; drakestraw@fwwatch.org
Mary Babic, Oxfam America, (617) 517-9475; mbabic@OxfamAmerica.org
Joseph Rendeiro, National Council of La Raza, (202) 776-1566; jrendeiro@nclr.org
Jeff Sheldon, Nebraska Appleseed, (402) 438-8853, (402) 840-7289; jsheldon@neappleseed.org
Sherri Jones, Coalition of Poultry Workers, (601) 899-2327

Urgen a la Administración a tomar Acción

WASHINGTON – El congresista Bennie Thompson y otros líderes del congreso se unieron a los trabajadores agrícolas el día de hoy para urgir a la Administración a parar al Departamento de Agricultura de los EE.UU. (USDA) de permitir que las plantas procesadoras avícola incrementen la velocidad de las líneas de procesamiento – una decisión que lo más probable causara más lesiones a los trabajadores y amenaza la seguridad del consumidor.

El USDA planea promulgar muy pronto nuevas normas que incrementaran la velocidad de las líneas de un máximo de 140 aves por minuto a 175, a pesar de las numerosas pruebas de que la velocidad de trabajo es el primer contribuyente a las lesiones de los trabajadores. Esta norma – dirigida a una tentativa de “modernizar” la industria – también removería a cientos de inspectores federales de las líneas de procesamiento y los remplazaría con trabajadores de la planta quienes estarían encargados con la responsabilidad de identificar y remover aves contaminadas. No hay requisitos de entrenamiento para estos trabajadores. El USDA es la única agencia federal encargada de controlar las velocidades de líneas de procesamiento en plantas avícolas.

La coalición, dirigida por Thompson (D-Miss.), informó al personal del congreso acerca de los peligros de esta propuesta. La industria avícola de Mississippi directamente emplea a más de 28,000 personas. El estado produjo más de 750 millones de pollos en 2010, situándolo en cuarto lugar entre todos los estados.

“El incrementar la velocidad de la línea no sólo incrementa el riesgo de lesiones a los trabajadores de la línea, sino que también compromete la salud de los consumidores estadounidenses,” dijo el Congresista Bennie G. Thompson (MS – 02). Con más de 28,000 trabajadores avícolas en Mississippi y millones a nivel nacional, el USDA está, sin ninguna necesidad, poniendo en peligro las vidas de millones de estadounidenses. Yo incito a la Administración a actuar rápidamente y parar a USDA de permitir el incremento de la velocidad en las líneas de las plantas avícolas.”

Los trabajadores avícolas y de carne con frecuencia hacen 20,000 cortes o más al día. Estas velocidades de trabajo llevan a lesiones de movimientos repetitivos y debilitantes, tales como síndrome del túnel carpiano. Los trabajadores también sufren de cortaduras con cuchillo y enfermedades respiratorias. Una encuesta reciente del Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) de 302 trabajadores avícolas actuales y anteriores en Alabama encontró que un 72 por ciento de los participantes describieron el sufrir graves lesiones y enfermedades relacionadas con este trabajo. Alabama es el tercer más grande productor avícola en la nación.

El reporte de SPLC, Unsafe at These Speeds: Alabama’s Poultry Industry and its Disposable Workers, encontró que con frecuencia los trabajadores atribuían sus lesiones al paso ya castigador de la línea. Algunos de los trabajadores avícolas describieron que en vez de hacer enojar a sus supervisores preferían orinarse en si mismos para no abandonar la línea para ir al baño.

“La gente que trabaja tan duro para producir nuestra comida debería de estar protegida de condiciones peligrosas,” dijo Tom Fritzsche, abogado del SPLC y autor del reporte. “Muchos de estos trabajadores tienen temor de perder sus trabajos si reportan lesiones o piden condiciones de trabajo más seguras. Este silencio permite que las compañías no reporten la tasa de lesiones que son mucho más altas de las que se reportan públicamente.”

No existe una pauta obligatoria para proteger la salud de los trabajadores avícolas. La Administración de Salud y Seguridad Ocupacional de los EE.UU (OSHA) no controla la velocidad de la línea o hace cumplir las reglas de seguridad diseñadas para los peligros específicos en las plantas avícolas. OSHA aún no responde a una petición formal presentada el verano pasado por algunos miembros de la coalición que urgieron a la agencia a crear protecciones en la velocidad de trabajo en las industrias de carne y avícolas.

“Estamos muy preocupados por las implicaciones de la política propuesta por la seguridad y bienestar de los trabajadores y los consumidores,” dijo Hilary O. Shelton, directora de la NAACP Washington Bureau y vice-presidente ejecutivo de políticas y abogacía. “Además, la propuesta de eliminación de inspectores federales de las líneas de procesamiento puede potencialmente llevar a una reducción significativa en la calidad de las aves en nuestros supermercados y restaurants y en nuestras mesas.”

Durante la visita de la coalición a Capitol Hill, los trabajadores avícolas de las plantas compartieron de primera mano a miembros del Congreso y su personal acerca de los peligros del lugar de trabajo. Estos trabajadores incluían a Salvadora Román, quien trabajó por 17 años deshuesando pollos en una planta en Decatur, Ala.

“Mis manos ya no podían mas con la velocidad tan alta de las líneas,” dijo ella. “Ellas se me dormían cuando estaba yo trabajando en la línea. El dolor era tan fuerte que me mantenía despierta durante la noche.”

A Román la despidieron después de no poder presentarse al trabajo por asistir a una cita médica por las lesiones ocasionadas por el trabajo en la planta.

“Por todo el país, los trabajadores avícolas y de carne están sufriendo lesiones permanentes por velocidades de trabajo imposibles,” dijo Omaid Zabih, abogado de Appleseed en Nebraska. “La regla avícola expande un programa piloto que ha tenido verdaderamente resultados preocupantes, tanto para las plantas avícolas como las plantas de carne de puerco. Esta es una dirección peligrosa para la industria avícola y la de carne de puerco pudiera ser la siguiente.”

La posibilidad de que cientos de inspectores federales sean remplazados por trabajadores temerosos de hacer enojar a sus empleadores por disminuir la velocidad de la línea para remover aves contaminadas crea preocupaciones en el Food & Water Watch.

“Este paso no sólo es malo para los trabajadores, es terrible para los consumidores,” dijo Tony Corbo, principal cabildero de Food & Water Watch, una organización nacional de defensores. “Este es el primer paso para desregular las inspecciones de carne, lo cual significa menos protecciones al consumidor y al trabajador. Si esta regla de USDA es implementada, inspecciones de carne más débiles serán siguiente paso.”

Remover a los inspectores federales de las plantas avícolas también crea un conflicto de intereses al permitir a las plantas monitorear sus propias inspecciones de seguridad.

“Comida saludable empieza con lugares de trabajo seguros,” dijo Janet Murguía, presidenta y CEO de National Council of La Raza, quien indicó que de 2 de cada 5 trabajadores avícolas en este país son latinos. “En lugar de avanzar con una propuesta que haría los ya peligrosos lugares de trabajo aún más arriesgados, el Secretario de Agricultura Tom Vilsack y el Secretario de Trabajo Thomas Perez deben de trabajar juntos para mejorar la seguridad de los trabajadores en la industria avícola.”

Parar la propuesta de USDA es también un asunto de protección a los derechos humanos de los trabajadores.

“Los trabajadores avícolas están sufriendo por la alta velocidad de la línea; ya lo que es un trabajo peligroso, con 20,000 movimientos repetitivos, cortando, jalando, tomando las aves o colgando en cada turno,” dijo Minor Sinclair, director de Oxfam America de los EE.UU. “Si se aprueba, esta regla incrementará esto en un 25 por ciento. No es aceptable que nuestro gobierno apruebe condiciones de trabajo que amenazan la seguridad de nuestros alimentos y los derechos humanos básicos de los trabajadores estadounidenses. ”

Otras organizaciones que se oponen a esta regla incluyen el Center for Effective Government, Center for Progressive Reform, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, Coalition of Poultry Workers, Northwest Arkansas Workers’ Justice Center and Coalition of Black Trade Unionists Western North Carolina Worker Center.

###

PARA DIVULGACIÓN INMEDIATA                             PARA MÁS INFORMACIÓN:
28 de febrero, 2014                                                     Ricky Garza
                                                                                      (202) 776-1732
                                                                                      rgarza@nclr.org


WASHINGTON, D.C.—Hoy, NCLR  (El Consejo Nacional de La Raza, por sus siglas en inglés), se enorgullece en anunciar que cuatro organizaciones nuevas  se han unido  a su red de Afiliados justo cuando la organización se prepara para celebrar el Día Nacional de Abogar por los Latinos National Latino Advocacy Days, evento que reúne a cientos de representantes de las organizaciones miembros del NCLR en el Distrito de Columbia del 5 al 6 de marzo.  Los nuevos miembros ahora forman parte de una red de organizaciones locales quienes expanden las oportunidades para la comunidad latina a través del país:  Building Skills Partnership en Los Angeles, California; Encuentro en Albuquerque, Nuevo Mexico; Latino Community Services en Hartford, Connecticut; y Ventura County Community Development Corporation (VCCDC) en Ventura, California.  Al añadir estos cuatro grupos, el NCLR hoy día cuenta con 270 organizaciones como miembros afiliados en todo el país.

“Nos alegra darle la bienvenida a cuatro nuevos Afiliados a nuestra red de organizaciones , las cualestrabajan a través del país para mejorar el futuro de las familias latinas.  El trabajo que hacen a diario en el campo de la educación, la capacitación laboral, la consejería de vivienda o el cuidado de salud, no sólo ha cambiado la vida de muchos, sino también ha fortalecido a nuestros vecindarios,” dijo Sonia Pérez, vicepresidenta de iniciativas estratégicas del NCLR. “Estamos ansiosos de poder trabajar y aprender de ellos, a la vez que  apoyamos  sus esfuerzos para servir a tantas comunidades alrededor de la nación.”

Para más información sobre las organizaciones afiliadas del NCLR, visite su página de internet:
•    Building Skills Partnership, Los Angeles, CA (www.buildingskills.org)
•    Encuentro, Albuquerque, NM. (www.encuentronm.org)
•    Latino Community Services, Hartford, CT (www.lcs-ct.org)
•    Ventura County Community Development Corporation (VCCDC), Ventura, CA (www.cabrilloedc.org)

Los afiliados del NCLR incluyen a 270 organizaciones comunitarias que proveen programas y servicios a millones de hispanos estadounidenses. A través de sus esfuerzos, educan a niños y adultos, ayudan a los trabajadores a prepararse para el empleo, enseñan inglés a los inmigrantes, inscriben a nuevos votantes, ayudan a las familias a comprar y conservar sus casas y proporcionan servicios de salud.

El NCLR (Consejo Nacional de La Raza) es la organización nacional más grande de apoyo y defensa de los derechos civiles de los hispanos en los Estados Unidos y trabaja para mejorar sus oportunidades.  Para más información sobre el NCLR, por favor visite www.nclr.org o síganos en Facebook y Twitter.

###
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                              Contact:
February28, 2014                                              Ricky Garza
                                                                              (202) 776-1732
                                                                              rgarza@nclr.org


WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, NCLR (National Council of La Raza) is proud to announce the addition of four new members to its national Affiliate Network just as the organization prepares to celebrate the 2014 NCLR National Latino Advocacy Days, an event on March 5–6 in the District of Columbia that gathers hundreds of representatives from the NCLR Affiliate Network.  The newest members join a network of local organizations that increase opportunities for the Latino community throughout the nation; they are Building Skills Partnership in Los Angeles, Calif.; Encuentro in Albuquerque, N.M.; Latino Community Services in Hartford, Conn.; and Ventura County Community Development Corporation (VCCDC) in Ventura, Calif.  With the new additions, NCLR is now proud to have 270 organizations across the United States as Affiliate Network members.

“We are excited to welcome these four new Affiliates to our network of organizations across the U.S. that help Latino families build better futures.  Whether they provide education, job training, homeownership counseling or health care, the work they do on a daily basis not only changes the lives of so many but also strengthens neighborhoods,” said Sonia Pérez, NCLR Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives.  “We look forward to working with them, learning from them and supporting their efforts to serve their communities.”

For more information about NCLR’s new Affiliate organizations:

•    Building Skills Partnership, Los Angeles, Calif. (www.buildingskills.org)
•    Encuentro, Albuquerque, N.M. (www.encuentronm.org)
•    Latino Community Services, Hartford, Conn. (www.lcs-ct.org)
•    Ventura County Community Development Corporation (VCCDC), Ventura, Calif. (www.cabrilloedc.org)

NCLR’s Affiliates include 270 community organizations that provide programs and services to millions of Hispanic Americans.  Through their work, they educate children and adults, prepare workers for jobs, teach immigrants English, register people to vote, provide health services and help families buy and keep their homes. 

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

###



 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                   Contact:
March 4, 2014                                                                                         Julian Teixeira
                                                                                                                (202) 776-1812
                                                                                                                jteixeira@nclr.org

Local leaders from across the country will “cast” their votes in mock election

WASHINGTON, D.C.—With movement on immigration reform in the hands of the House of Representatives, NCLR (National Council of La Raza) is not letting up the pressure on House Republican leadership to act on immigration reform or face the consequences on Election Day 2014. On Thursday, March 6, hundreds of leaders from Latino nonprofit and civic organizations across the country will convene on Capitol Hill to participate in “NCLR in Action: A Vote for Immigration Reform.” Participants will line up outside the office of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R–Va.) and cast their ballots in favor of immigration reform before delivering the ballots to Rep. Cantor. Advocates are participating in the mock election to remind House Republican leadership that how they handle immigration in the next ten months will determine the politics of the next decade.

Thursday’s event will be held in conjunction with the 2014 NCLR National Latino Advocacy Days at Gallaudet University on March 5–6. NCLR’s annual Advocacy Days brings together hundreds of Latino leaders and advocates from more than 30 states for trainings on policy and legislative advocacy. Participants then head to Capitol Hill for a day of legislative visits with their congressional delegations.

Great photo opportunity. To attend and cover either event, please contact Julian Teixeira, Director of Communications, at jteixeira@nclr.org or (202) 776-1812.

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHO:    Clarissa Martínez-De-Castro, Director of Immigration and Civic Engagement, NCLR
               Latino leaders and advocates from more than 30 states

WHAT:  “NCLR in Action: Vote for Immigration Reform” event

WHEN:  March 6, 2014, 11:00 a.m.

WHERE: Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s Office
                303 Cannon House Office Building
                Independence Avenue and First Street, SE
                Washington, D.C. 20515

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                   Contact:
March 4, 2014                                                                         Julian Teixeira
                                                                                               (202) 776-1812
                                                                                                jteixeira@nclr.org
 
NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía's Clear Message:  "We Won't Take No for an Answer" on Immigration

WASHINGTON, D.C.—During the keynote address at the 2014 NCLR (National Council of La Raza) Capital Awards gala, Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR, called on President Obama to use executive authority to halt unnecessary deportations and on the House Leadership to pass immigration reform now.

“Any day now, this administration will reach the two million mark for deportations.  It is a staggering number that far outstrips that of any of his predecessors, and it leaves behind a wake of devastation for families across America.  We respectfully disagree with the president on his inability to stop unnecessary deportations.  He does have the power to stop this,” said Murguía.

While 2013 was a landmark year for the immigration reform movement with a bipartisan bill passing through the Senate, Murguía noted that gridlock on Capitol Hill has once again stymied progress on the issue, as House Republican leadership refuses to move forward with legislation.  
 
“We cannot rely on administrative relief alone,” Murguía said.  “It is important and it is needed, but it is also limited and temporary.  Only Congress can deliver a broad, inclusive, lasting solution, and there will be political consequences if the House does not act.”

Read the full speech here.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Latinos. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

###

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Julian Teixeira
(202) 776-1812
jteixeira@nclr.org

At the National Building Museum, with more than 700 corporate, legislative and community leaders in attendance, the 2014 NCLR (National Council of La Raza) Capital Awards were presented to two groups that have significantly impacted the push for immigration reform over the past year. The first award of the night was presented to the U.S. Senate “Gang of Eight”—the group of senators responsible for creating the bipartisan immigration bill introduced last April. Sens. Michael Bennet (D–Colo.), Richard Durbin (D–Ill.), Robert Menendez (D–N.J.), and Chuck Schumer (D–N.Y.) were on hand to accept the award on behalf of the Gang of Eight, which also includes Sens. Jeff Flake (R–Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (R–S.C.), John McCain (R–Ariz.), and Marco Rubio (R–Fla.). The “Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013” (S. 744), which is designed to overhaul the nation’s outdated immigration system and provide a roadmap to citizenship for the 11 million aspiring Americans, passed through the Senate last June.

“At a time when Americans had serious doubts over whether lawmakers in Washington could work together to get anything accomplished, these eight men showed a willingness to reach across party lines to craft an immigration bill that this country needs,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR. “Thanks to their courageous work, we are closer than ever to a solution that will revamp our broken immigration system and end the flood of unnecessary deportations that are tearing our community apart.”

The 27th annual NCLR Capital Awards gala recognizes both Democratic and Republican elected officials who promote legislation and public policies that benefit Hispanic Americans. This year, NCLR also presented the 2014 Capital Award for Public Service to Fast for Families, for embodying the moral core of the immigration movement and the fight for just reform. NCLR paid tribute to the fasters who selflessly gave face to this effort. The campaign recently began a nationwide bus tour and will be hosting events throughout the country to show leaders from the House of Representatives the sacrifices that individuals will make in order for comprehensive immigration legislation to be enacted.

“All of those across the country who have participated in the Fast for Families campaign embody the spirit and determination of the immigration movement. They fast for reform, not because it’s an economic imperative or it’s politically expedient, but because our communities deserve a just and humane immigration system,” Murguía added. “Their selfless sacrifice has illuminated the daily heartbreak and struggle that our community faces as a result of our broken immigration system, and we applaud their unyielding commitment to this cause.”

NBC News Correspondent Miguel Almaguer served as master of ceremonies at the event. Event co-chairs included Hyundai and Wells Fargo, with additional support from BP, Univision, UPS, Verizon, Ford and Pepsico, among others.

###
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            Contact:
March 6, 2014                                                                  Julian Teixeira
                                                                                         (202) 776-1812
                                                                                         jteixeira@nclr.org
 

WASHINGTON, D.C.—More than 200 hundred leaders from Latino nonprofit and civic organizations in cities across the U.S. were on Capitol Hill today to send a strong message to House Republican leadership that failing to act on immigration reform will have political consequences.  Representatives from each state participated today in “NCLR in Action:  Vote for Immigration Reform,” lining up outside the office of Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R–Va.) to cast a ballot for immigration reform.  That ballot box was then delivered to Leader Cantor.

“House Republican leadership has hidden behind excuse after excuse for why they cannot move forward with immigration reform,” said Clarissa Martínez-De-Castro, Director of Immigration and Civic Engagement at NCLR (National Council of La Raza).  “Political choices have consequences, and how they handle immigration reform in the next ten months will impact the political landscape over the next decade.  Latinos won’t sit idly by while thousands more family members and friends get deported every day.  Our community will continue to pressure House Republicans to act and the White House to intervene in unnecessary deportations.  We will raise our voice at the voting booth, where we will remember who championed immigration reform and who stood in the way of progress.”

More than 11 million Latinos cast a ballot in the 2012 elections.  The Hispanic vote grew by 15% between 2008 and 2012—compared to 10% for Black voters and –2% for White voters—and that growth will continue as an average of 880,000 young Latino citizens turn 18 each year and become eligible to register.

Today’s event bookended a week focused heavily on immigration reform.  The event on Capitol Hill was part of the 2014 NCLR National Latino Advocacy Days, which brought hundreds of Latino leaders from more than 30 states to the nation’s capital for trainings on policy and legislative advocacy. 

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Latinos. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

###
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
jrendeiro@nclr.org
(202) 776-1566

WASHINGTON, D.C.—NCLR applauds the selection of acclaimed opera singer Martina Arroyo and legendary musician Carlos Santana as recipients of the 2013 Kennedy Center Honors, announced earlier today. NCLR and other Latino organizations have long advocated for greater diversity in this prestigious program.

“Today’s announcement confirms what we in the Latino community have known for years: there is a wealth of talent in our community deserving of this kind of honor,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR. “As icons in Latino entertainment, Martina Arroyo and Carlos Santana embody the enormous contributions Hispanics have made to American culture, not only in popular entertainment, but also in the fine arts.”

NCLR has partnered with sister organizations including the National Hispanic Foundation of the Arts and the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda to work with the Kennedy Center’s president, Michael Kaiser, and its board of directors on a series of initiatives to strengthen its relationship with the Latino community, including a revised Honors selection process.

“We commend the Kennedy Center’s leadership for making the necessary changes in the selection process that resulted in the broad diversity of this year’s class of honorees,” added Murguía. “We congratulate Martina Arroyo and Carlos Santana, as well as all of the other nominees, on this well-deserved honor.”

Recipients of the 2013 Kennedy Center Honors also include jazz pianist Herbie Hancock, actress Shirley MacLaine and acclaimed musician Billy Joel. The ceremony honors artists for outstanding lifetime achievement in the fields of dance, music, theater, opera, motion pictures or television.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

### 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                               Contact: 
September 13, 2013                                                          Camila Gallardo
                                                                                       (305) 215-4259
                                                                                       cgallardo@nclr.org
                               

WASHINGTON, D.C.—NCLR (National Council of La Raza) today criticized a move by Florida Governor Rick Scott that would prevent residents of the state from accessing information related to the new health care law at County Health Department offices.  The Affordable Care Act open enrollment period for uninsured Americans begins October 1, 2013 and stretches through March 2014, standing to benefit millions of the state’s residents.  According to Census figures, Florida ranks number two in the nation among states with the largest population of uninsured; one in four Floridians and one in three Hispanics lack health coverage.

“The state directive to ban patient navigator outreach activities that would put more health care options in the hands of Florida’s 3.8 million uninsured is irresponsible,” said Jennifer Ng’andu, Director, Health and Civil Rights Policy Projects, NCLR.  “The political dynamics of Affordable Care Act implementation will once again prevent the public from receiving critical information that is meant to improve the health and well-being of Florida’s residents.  The Affordable Care Act is the law of the land; as a nation, we should be doing everything in our power to harness its assets for vulnerable communities.”

By law, the patient navigators involved with outreach are required to undergo significant training, perform their duties in an unbiased and culturally and linguistically appropriate manner and uphold the privacy of the individuals they assist.  The next step of implementation of the Affordable Care Act promises to benefit the Hispanic population most, yet a lack of information and outreach stand as barriers to the successful integration of many into the new insurance system.  The state directive adds yet another obstacle to those trying hardest to fix health care in the U.S., but groups supporting the law’s implementation won’t be deterred.

“NCLR will continue to work with partner groups and government stakeholders to maximize the benefit of the Affordable Care Act for vulnerable populations.  Our only imperative is that we deliver accurate and trustworthy information to the Latino community and eradicate the uninsurance problem in this country,” concluded Ng’andu. 

For more information on the Affordable Care Act and enrollment, please visit www.healthcare.gov (English) or www.cuidadodesalud.gov (Spanish), or call 1-800-318-2596 for assistance in English and Spanish.  NCLR also offers brochures in English and Spanish that provide an overview of the law.

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.  For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
(202) 776-1566
jrendeiro@nclr.org

LATINO LEADERS CALL ON CONGRESS TO AVERT ECONOMIC CRISIS AND RESTORE INVESTMENTS IN CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

Today, leaders of member organizations of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA) called on Congress to end the government shutdown and pass a federal budget that invests in our future and creates jobs. The government is in its tenth day of shutdown and lawmakers have made little progress toward a deal to reopen it before the nation reaches its borrowing limit on October 17.

As part of NHLA’s “Latinos United for a Fair Economy” campaign, Latino leaders at today’s press conference warned that the shutdown and the looming fight over the debt ceiling will only hurt the economy and worsen the harm that sequestration and previous budget cuts have already inflicted on Hispanics.

“After suffering some of the worst effects of the Great Recession, such as higher rates of unemployment and foreclosure than most of the population, Latinos were hit again as budget cuts and sequestration took effect, eroding the programs that provide Latinos opportunity and important basic services. Now the shutdown is making a difficult situation even worse,” said Hector Sanchez, Chair of NHLA and Executive Director of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement. “The votes are there in Congress to end this shutdown. Speaker Boehner and other congressional leaders need to simply allow a vote to reopen the government with no strings attached.”

“Over the last two elections Latino voters have sent a clear message to our lawmakers that we need to focus on jobs and fixing our economy,” said Eric Rodriguez, Vice President of the Office of Research, Advocacy and Legislation at NCLR (National Council of La Raza). “Yet over the past two years, Congress has dithered on the budget, deepening already painful cuts that hurt families and stifle economic growth. To continue aggressively pursuing an agenda that is at direct odds with the interests of the Latino community has political and economic ramifications. Lawmakers must change course soon to avert an economic crisis, stop the cuts and restore investments in children and working families.”

The government shutdown comes on top of the irrational and arbitrary budget cuts known as sequestration, which took effect earlier this year and have gutted critical health, education and housing programs for struggling communities. As many as 21,000 Latino children may be kicked out of Head Start, 1.2 million low-income public school children could be cut off from reading and math help due to cuts in Title I funding and almost 300,000 adults and youth could lose out on job training and employment services.

“October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which makes it all the more tragic that we find ourselves in the midst of a government shutdown where many domestic violence service programs will need to lay off staff and reduce services to those in critical need,” said Rosie Hidalgo, Director of Public Policy for Casa de Esperanza: National Latin@ Network. “Congress needs to pass legislation that restores access to funding for these lifesaving services as well as funding for many other important services for vulnerable populations.”

The Latino leaders insisted that there is a way out of the current predicament—pass a federal budget that invests in our future and creates jobs.

“First, House Republican leadership should allow members of Congress to vote on a clean funding bill to reopen the federal government. Second, both parties should work together to replace the sequester with investments in education, job training and other programs that provide opportunity and put our economy on a solid path toward growth well into the future,” said Brent Wilkes, NHLA Vice Chair and National Executive Director of the League for United Latin American Citizens (LULAC).

###
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Julian Teixeira
(202) 776-1812
jteixeira@nclr.org

At the National Building Museum, with more than 700 corporate, legislative and community leaders in attendance, the 2014 NCLR (National Council of La Raza) Capital Awards were presented to two groups that have significantly impacted the push for immigration reform over the past year. The first award of the night was presented to the U.S. Senate “Gang of Eight”—the group of senators responsible for creating the bipartisan immigration bill introduced last April. Sens. Michael Bennet (D–Colo.), Richard Durbin (D–Ill.), Robert Menendez (D–N.J.), and Chuck Schumer (D–N.Y.) were on hand to accept the award on behalf of the Gang of Eight, which also includes Sens. Jeff Flake (R–Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (R–S.C.), John McCain (R–Ariz.), and Marco Rubio (R–Fla.). The “Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013” (S. 744), which is designed to overhaul the nation’s outdated immigration system and provide a roadmap to citizenship for the 11 million aspiring Americans, passed through the Senate last June.

“At a time when Americans had serious doubts over whether lawmakers in Washington could work together to get anything accomplished, these eight men showed a willingness to reach across party lines to craft an immigration bill that this country needs,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR. “Thanks to their courageous work, we are closer than ever to a solution that will revamp our broken immigration system and end the flood of unnecessary deportations that are tearing our community apart.”

The 27th annual NCLR Capital Awards gala recognizes both Democratic and Republican elected officials who promote legislation and public policies that benefit Hispanic Americans. This year, NCLR also presented the 2014 Capital Award for Public Service to Fast for Families, for embodying the moral core of the immigration movement and the fight for just reform. NCLR paid tribute to the fasters who selflessly gave face to this effort. The campaign recently began a nationwide bus tour and will be hosting events throughout the country to show leaders from the House of Representatives the sacrifices that individuals will make in order for comprehensive immigration legislation to be enacted.

“All of those across the country who have participated in the Fast for Families campaign embody the spirit and determination of the immigration movement. They fast for reform, not because it’s an economic imperative or it’s politically expedient, but because our communities deserve a just and humane immigration system,” Murguía added. “Their selfless sacrifice has illuminated the daily heartbreak and struggle that our community faces as a result of our broken immigration system, and we applaud their unyielding commitment to this cause.”

NBC News Correspondent Miguel Almaguer served as master of ceremonies at the event. Event co-chairs included Hyundai and Wells Fargo, with additional support from BP, Univision, UPS, Verizon, Ford and Pepsico, among others.

###
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Camila Gallardo
cgallardo@nclr.org
(305) 215-4259

Undersecretary of Education Jamienne Studley and Congressman Joe Garcia to join groups in push for enrollment

MIAMI—On Saturday, March 15, 2014 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., NCLR (National Council of La Raza) and COFFO (Coalition of Florida Farmworker Organizations) will host a health screening and health insurance enrollment event for the local community. March 31 is the deadline to enroll in the new insurance health plans made available through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Those who do not enroll during this first phase will have to wait until open enrollment resumes next November. Leading Latino groups have stepped up to encourage Hispanics, the most uninsured ethnic group in the nation, to get online and explore their options for affordable health insurance plans.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that 10.2 million Latinos who are currently uninsured qualify for coverage under the new health law. Many of them will be eligible for plans than can cost less than $100 a month, while others—as many as four in five Hispanics—may qualify for assistance with covering health insurance costs.

The all-day event will pair up attendees with patient navigators (individuals trained to walk applicants through the enrollment process) and give them the option of completing their enrollment on site. Congressman Joe García (D–Fla.) will address participants in the morning, highlighting the importance of health coverage and new benefits available through the ACA. Free blood pressure and diabetes screenings will be available to all attendees.

Individuals interested in signing up for assistance from a trained patient navigator should call (305) 246-0357 to make an appointment.

Media are encouraged to attend—great photo and interview opportunities available. To confirm your attendance, please contact Camila Gallardo at (305) 215-4259.

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT:
NCLR, COFFO health insurance enrollment event and health screenings

WHEN:
Enrollment event begins at 9:00 a.m., Undersecretary Jamienne Studley and Congressman Joe Garcia to speak at 10:30 a.m.

WHERE:
COFFO
778 West Palm Drive
Florida City, FL 33034

WHO:
Undersecretary of Education Jamienne Studley
Congressman Joe Garcia
Arturo Lopez, Executive Director, COFFO
Claudia Millar, Project Coordinator, Institute for Hispanic Health, NCLR
Enroll America representatives
Patient navigators

NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
(202) 776-1776
jrendeiro@nclr.org

Earlier this week, leaders from the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs reached a bipartisan agreement on a plan to overhaul the housing finance system. The committee outlined its proposed legislation, which would replace Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac with a new government-backed program known as the Federal Mortgage Insurance Corporation.

“While we are encouraged to see the Senate working in a bipartisan fashion to reform our housing finance system, the broad details of the outlined legislation raise serious concerns as to whether this plan will adequately address the ongoing problems that affect Latinos and other underserved communities within the housing market,” said Eric Rodriguez, Vice President of the Office of Research, Advocacy and Legislation at NCLR (National Council of La Raza). “Latinos have still not recovered from the housing crisis, which sent millions of homes into foreclosure and decimated our community’s wealth. In order to rebuild assets for Hispanic families, this legislation must, above all, ensure access to affordable credit for low- and middle-income families, which will help build stronger neighborhoods and support our national economy. We look forward to working with lawmakers to ensure that qualified Latinos, who are the future of the housing market, are provided every opportunity to attain the American dream of homeownership.”

###
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
(202) 776-1776
jrendeiro@nclr.org

Today, Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham (D–N.M.) introduced the “Health Equity and Access under the Law (HEAL) for Immigrant Women and Families Act,” legislation that will restore medical coverage to millions of immigrants who are authorized to live and work in the United States. Among the changes that would be made, this legislation would enable lawfully present immigrants to participate in the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and access Medicaid, and it would allow DREAMers who have been granted deferred action to participate in the Affordable Care Act.

“The legislation introduced by Congresswoman Lujan Grisham is an important step toward removing the unfair barriers within our health care system that jeopardize the health and safety of immigrant women and families,” said Eric Rodriguez, Vice President of the Office of Research, Advocacy and Legislation at NCLR (National Council of La Raza). “By providing immigrants with affordable health coverage and access to preventative care, we will create healthier communities and a healthier workforce while reducing the burdens of costly emergency care on hospitals and patients. We strongly encourage Congress to pass this bill, which will give lawfully present immigrants a greater opportunity to participate in the health care system that they already contribute to.”

###
 

PARA DIVULGACIÓN INMEDIATA                                               Contacto:
13 de septiembre, 2013                                                                 Camila Gallardo
                                                                                                    (305)215-4259
                                                                                                    cgallardo@nclr.org
                               
                               
WASHINGTON, D.C.—El NCLR (Consejo Nacional de La Raza por sus siglas en inglés) hoy denunció una directiva del gobernador de la Florida que prohíbe acceso a información relacionada con la ley de cuidado de salud dentro de las oficinas de los Departamentos de Salud en los condados del estado.  La Ley de Cuidado de Salud Asequible (ACA por sus siglas en inglés), que comienza la temporada de inscripción el 1 de octubre del 2013 hasta el marzo del 2014, beneficiaría a millones de los residentes en el estado.  De acuerdo con números del Census, la Florida es el segundo estado de la nación con la cifra más altas de desasegurados; uno de cada cuatro floridanos y uno de cada tres hispanos carecen de seguro médico. 

“Es inaceptable el hecho de que el Gobernador prohíba el acceso a esta información y a la ayuda que podrían dar los consejeros certificados del gobierno federal, particularmente cuando saben que más de 3.8 millones de residentes del estado beneficiarían de estas nuevas opciones”, dijo Jennifer N’gandu, Director, Health and Civil Rights Policy Project, NCLR.  “El estado está actuando de manera irresponsable previniendo acceso a una información que solo tiene como propósito mejorar la salud y bienestar de la población.  El acceso al cuidado de salud es un derecho fundamental y es la ley del país; como comunidad, debemos de hacer todo dentro de nuestro alcance para que una máxima cantidad beneficie de la ley”.    

Por ley, los conocidos ‘navegadores de pacientes’ que proveen información sobre la ley son personas muy bien entrenadas a ejercer su trabajo de una manera sin prejuicios y de forma que es culturalmente y ligústicamente apropiada y que mantiene la privacidad de las personas a quienes les rindan información.  El próximo paso de la implementación del ACA beneficiaría enormemente a la población hispana, más que a ningún otro grupo étnico, pero la falta de información ha servido como barrera a la participación de muchos.  La directiva del estado es aún otro obstáculo más para aquellos que están trabajando arduamente para arreglar nuestro sistema de salud, pero los grupos que apoyan la implementación de la ley no se detendrán. 

“El NCLR continuará su trabajo con grupos aliados y representantes del gobierno para maximizar el beneficio de la Ley de Cuidado de Salud Asequible para nuestras comunidades más vulnerables.  Nuestro imperativo es hacer llegarles la información correcta a la comunidad y ayudar a erradicar el problema de los desasegurados en el país,” concluyó Ng’andu. 

Para más información sobre la Ley de Cuidado de Salud Asequible (ACA) visite: www.healthcare.gov o www.cuidadodesalud.gov; o llame al: 1-800-318-2596.  NCLR también provee volantes informativos en inglés y español.

El NCLR (Consejo Nacional de La Raza) es la organización nacional más grande de apoyo y defensa de los derechos civiles de los hispanos en los Estados Unidos y trabaja para mejorar sus oportunidades.  Para más información sobre el NCLR, por favor visite www.nclr.org o síganos en Facebook y Twitter.

###
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
(202) 776-1776
jrendeiro@nclr.org

Today, Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham (D–N.M.) introduced the “Health Equity and Access under the Law (HEAL) for Immigrant Women and Families Act,” legislation that will restore medical coverage to millions of immigrants who are authorized to live and work in the United States. Among the changes that would be made, this legislation would enable lawfully present immigrants to participate in the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and access Medicaid, and it would allow DREAMers who have been granted deferred action to participate in the Affordable Care Act.

“The legislation introduced by Congresswoman Lujan Grisham is an important step toward removing the unfair barriers within our health care system that jeopardize the health and safety of immigrant women and families,” said Eric Rodriguez, Vice President of the Office of Research, Advocacy and Legislation at NCLR (National Council of La Raza). “By providing immigrants with affordable health coverage and access to preventative care, we will create healthier communities and a healthier workforce while reducing the burdens of costly emergency care on hospitals and patients. We strongly encourage Congress to pass this bill, which will give lawfully present immigrants a greater opportunity to participate in the health care system that they already contribute to.”

###
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
(202) 776-1776
jrendeiro@nclr.org

Earlier this week, the House of Representatives passed the “ENFORCE Act” (H.R. 4138) and the “Faithful Execution of the Law Act” (H.R. 3973), legislation designed to limit President Obama’s executive powers. The bills cited the need to prevent the president from using his legitimate prosecutorial discretion to provide relief for undocumented immigrants who were brought to this country as children and meet a series of requirements. These bills would essentially eviscerate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which has granted temporary deportation relief to DREAMers. They would also prevent relief available to U.S. servicemen and servicewomen who have undocumented immediate family members.

“There is a humanitarian crisis in communities across the nation that the House of Representatives can solve with action on immigration reform. Instead, they have added insult to injury by trying to destroy the little relief available to military families caught in our immigration chaos, as well as to young immigrants who know no other country as their own,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR (National Council of La Raza). “In this latest move, House Republicans and a handful of Democrats are demonstrating that they are not only out of step with Latino voters, they are out of step with the majority of the country. There is only one way to describe it: shameful.”

###