U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono, Cory Booker, and Alex Padilla have reintroduced a Senate Resolution to declare racism as a public health crisis in the United States. The resolution seeks to address the adverse effects faced by communities of color when accessing healthcare services and encourages actions to tackle health disparities and inequities across various sectors of society. U.S. Representatives Jahana Hayes and Delia C. Ramirez have put forward similar legislation in the House of Representatives.
“Racism is deadly for people of color, adversely impacting access to health care resources and disproportionately exacerbating health outcomes of marginalized communities including life expectancy, infant mortality, maternal morbidity, risk of cancer, and more,” stated Senator Hirono. She emphasized that recognizing systemic racism’s impact on minority groups’ health is crucial for addressing the crisis.
The resolution outlines how systemic racism affects the health and wellness of communities of color, leading to shorter life expectancy, worsened health outcomes, and increased exposure to harmful environments.
Furthermore, it urges Congress to establish a national strategy aimed at addressing these disparities and inequities; dismantle practices that perpetuate racism; implement reforms targeting policies that have resulted in poor health outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities; and promote efforts focusing on social determinants affecting these groups.
The resolution has garnered support from several other senators including Tammy Baldwin, Richard Blumenthal, Andy Kim, and Ron Wyden.
