Political Quotes

“I rise to introduce the Health Equity and Middle Eastern and North African Community Inclusion Act of 2023. This bill would ensure that Middle Eastern and North African communities in the United States receive the Federal recognition they need to receive targeted public health resources. Too often, Federal data collection overlooks people in MENA communities. This is true even at the Office of Minority Health, which is tasked with the important work of improving health outcomes for racial and ethnic minority populations. The office's definition of ``racial and ethnic minorities'' does not currently include a Middle Eastern or North African category, meaning that people in this community are often misidentified as White. As a result, the unique health concerns that Middle Easterners and North Africans face remain underreported and unaddressed. This bureaucratic oversight has a tangible impact on individuals' abilities to live full and healthy lives. The Health Equity and Middle Eastern and North African Community Inclusion Act of 2023 would add a Middle Eastern and North African category to the definition of ``racial and ethnic minorities'' used by the Office of Minority Health. Additionally, it would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to use this data to conduct a comprehensive study of the unique patterns and health outcomes in MENA populations. I want to thank Representative Tlaib for joining me in introducing this bill.…”