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May 17, 2004
Jaime Zapata
202/879-4458
jzapata@aft.org
Statement by Edward J. McElroy
Secretary-Treasurer, American Federation of Teachers,
on AFT Opposition to H.R. 3722: The Undocumented
Alien Emergency Medical Assistance Amendments of 2004
WASHINGTON, D.C.—This short-sighted legislation would undermine the security of our nation’s public health system by discouraging immigrants from seeking emergency medical treatment. At the same time, it would place an unreasonable responsibility on overburdened healthcare workers by requiring them to question patients about their citizenship and perform the functions of Border Patrol agents. Denying emergency health services to needy persons would push millions away from a system that tracks and prevents the spread of diseases and epidemics. Such policy threatens everyone and it is the reason we joined a nationwide coalition in opposition to the bill.
The AFT stands behind ideas that strengthen, not weaken, America’s public health system and supports the thousands of dedicated professionals serving in hospitals across our nation.
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The AFT represents more than 1.3 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers, paraprofessionals and other school support employees, higher education faculty, nurses and other healthcare workers, and state and local government employees.
