William Smith, Harlem District Leader
Harlem is a vibrant and resilient city made up of hard-working, creative citizens who are always ready to overcome obstacles and clear a path towards a brighter future. But unfortunately, communities like mine have been hit especially hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, making progress towards our goals and overall recovery increasingly difficult. Of particular concern throughout this pandemic has been the challenge of our citizens to afford health insurance– an issue our leaders must prioritize during this public health crisis.
Affordable health care should be a top priority for all Americans. Senator Schumer has advocated for better access to health care and is working towards solutions to help more New Yorkers afford health insurance. This includes his support for extending health insurance subsidies in the end-of-year budget that were expanded in the American Rescue Plan.
These subsidies will expire if Congress does not act to make them permanent. Thousands of our family members, friends and work colleagues may find themselves unable to afford their premiums if these subsidies expire.
New Yorkers are counting on our lawmakers to make federal marketplace tax credits permanent this year. We need affordable health insurance coverage that we know we can rely on amidst this time of uncertainty. Affordable health insurance must remain a reality for the citizens of Harlem, New York and for all communities that have faced heightened hardships this past year.
Well said & written!