Sheila Jackson Lee: “National Minority Health Month is a very important time to bring awareness to the many health concerns facing minority…”

“National Minority Health Month is a very important time to bring awareness to the many health concerns facing minority communities. My colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus and I understand the very difficult challenges facing us in the form of huge health disparities among our community and other minority communities. We will continue to seek solutions to those challenges. It is imperative for us to improve the prospects for living long and healthy lives and fostering an ethic of wellness in African-American and other minority communities. Certainly, the Affordable Care Act, which I co- sponsored and worked on has brought a new quality of life and access to healthcare for millions of Americans including minorities. I thank all of my CBC colleagues who been toiling in the vineyards for years developing effective public policies and securing the resources needed to eradicate racial and gender disparities in health and wellness. Let me focus these brief remarks on what I believe are some of the greatest impediments to the health and wellness of the African-American community and other minority communities. The first challenge is reversing the dangerous trend of increasing obesity in juveniles and young adults. Cancer, diabetes and hepatitis are of great importance as well as combating the scourge of HIV/AIDS.…”