WASHINGTON—Today, President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act into law and addressed the nation on the COVID-19 pandemic shut down and his plan for recovery.
Juliet K. Choi, president and CEO of the Asian & Pacific American Health Forum (APIAHF) released the following statement:
“The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified longstanding structural inequities that continue to undermine the health and well-being of communities of color, including Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs). The American Rescue Plan brings critically vital relief to our families and neighbors that have faced the harshest consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, including making healthcare more accessible and infusing much needed funding to community health partners that play essential roles in providing culturally and linguistically accessible care to underserved communities that have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. My hope is that the American Rescue Plan will serve as a catalyst, a real down payment, to bring about the necessary reform and innovation toward a modern and equitable public health system that truly meets the needs of all communities—Black, Indigenous, Latinx, LGBTQ, Disability, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander.
On the one-year anniversary since COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization, we want to share a moment of remembrance for all the lives that have been lost, and extend our deep gratitude to all of our frontline and essential workers.”
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The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) influences policy, mobilizes communities and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.