Stay on Track When it Comes to Health Care Reform, Says NCLR

Today, Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR (National Council of La Raza), the largest national Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, commented on a panel discussion held by the Center for Immigration Studies and warned against giving credence to naysayers who threaten to derail the conversation on health care reform.

“Today’s Center for Immigration Studies panel is just the latest example in a campaign to erode efforts to ensure that quality, affordable health care is available to American families and workers,” said Murguía. “No one offered constructive ideas on how to solve the nation’s health care problems. We cannot allow this important dialogue to be tainted by disingenuous rhetoric.”

For more than a decade, NCLR has advocated for all Americans to have access to the health care that they need to stay healthy. Health care reform presents a significant opportunity to revamp health care in the U.S. and strengthens the future of our families.

“The current broken health care system leaves tens of millions of Americans without coverage, often subjecting them to poor health and substandard levels of service. If we don’t take the necessary strides to reform the system while we have the chance, it will be a dangerously long time before the opportunity arises again. We have a choice: We can use this crucial time to shape workable health care reform proposals for our families, or we can waste it away by caving to the disruptive behavior of those who will never support reform,” said Murguía.

For accurate information on immigrants’ use of health care services, please go to

• NCLR: The Faces Behind the FBI Hate Crime Statistics
• NCLR TO CELEBRATE LAUNCH OF SENATOR BOB MENENDEZ’S BOOK, GROWING AMERICAN ROOTS
• DOBBS’S DECISION TO RESIGN IS A STEP FORWARD FOR FAIRNESS, ACCURACY, AND BALANCE ON CABLE NEWS
• LANDMARK HOUSE HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL IS GOOD FOR LATINOS, SENATE NEEDS TO COMPLETE THE TASK AND BUILD ON THE HOUSE EFFORT, SAYS NCLR
• Passage of Hate Crimes Bill Signals a New Day for Justice, Says NCLR
• National Council of La Raza: Groundbreaking Forum on Latino Children Offers Solutions to the Challenges Faced by this Growing Community
• HEALTH CARE BILL OVERCOMES EXTREMIST POLITICS, BUT STILL NEEDS IMPROVEMENT, SAYS NCLR
• NCLR Supports Legislation to Strengthen Dual-Language Education for Low-Income Students
• NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía Named one of “Washingtonian’s 100 Most Powerful Women”
• NCLR Applauds the Inclusion of Faith Leaders at a A Senate Hearing on Comprehensive Immigration Reform
• Ana Ortiz to La Raza (NCLR): lay off the Big Macs (drop McDonalds as partner)
• NCLR Applauds Confirmation of Tom Perez as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Division
• Economic Recovery Still Beyond Reach For Minority Workers
• NCLR Commends Congressional Hispanic Caucus for Calling for an End to 287(g) Agreements
• National Groups to Mobilize People of Color for Final Health Care Push
• No Child Left Behind Regulations do not Go Far Enough to Improve Education For Latino Students, Says NCLR
• National Council of La Raza President and CEO to Testify at Congressional Hearing on the State of Minorities in the Recession
• National Council of La Raza Applauds Representative Gutierrez for Advancing Comprehensive Immigration Reform
• National Council of La Raza Supports National Back to School DREAM Act Day of Action
• Join NCLR and the Drop Dobbs Campaign