ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Today , U.S. Senator Tom Udall , along with local health care advocates, community members, and elected officials, joined Protect Our Care on its nationwide Care Force One Bus Tour at its stop in Albuquerque. During the event, he called on Republicans to end their relentless attacks on New Mexicans’ health care, and pledged to work to defend and improve access to comprehensive coverage for hardworking New Mexico families.
Udall began by committing to defend comprehensive health care coverage against Republican attacks, saying, “Thank you for standing up for what’s right and for what’s decent. For what New Mexicans and Americans want and deserve. And for what our children and seniors — especially – deserve: Quality, affordable health care…
“Overwhelmingly, New Mexicans want to us to protect people with serious, pre-existing illnesses from being gouged by insurance companies. Or thrown off their insurance altogether.
“Overwhelmingly, they want their children to be able to get the medical care they need – and stay on their insurance plans, till at least age 26.
“Overwhelmingly, the American people want to keep Medicaid expansion. Medicaid expansion has meant quality health care for over 11 million people and nearly 300,000 New Mexicans.
“And the American people don’t want the Trump administration or Republicans in Congress dismantling Medicare. A program that’s made sure seniors and disabled individuals have health care for over 60 years. They especially don’t want us dismantling this lifeline to pay for the Republicans’ tax cuts for the rich.
“I’m committed to fighting alongside all of you to protect the care of the New Mexicans who need it the most.”
He cautioned that the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress will continue their attempts to sabotage access to health care, warning, “They haven’t given up on trying to dismantle the ACA, Medicare, and Medicaid. They’ll take another run at it next Congress. But we haven’t given up either and we must stop them.”
Udall ended with an urgent call to action to fight for affordable, quality health care for hard working New Mexico families, saying , “Now is the time to mobilize -- to organize -- and to fight. There’s an old adage I’ve heard around this time of year that says: ‘Early to bed, early to rise, and then get out and organize.’ Together, we are going to defeat the Republican plan to gut our health care system. Together, we are going to work until every single American has the health care they need to lead a successful, productive life.”
Protect Our Care’s Care Force One Bus Tour is travelling across the nation, urging an end to Republican attacks on health care and defending protections for millions of Americans. Care Force One will make 48 stops across 23 states to demand access to affordable, comprehensive health care coverage.
