NHP news | June 2025

Nurses, doctors and other health professionals converged for this year’s AFT Nurses and Health Professionals Professional Issues Conference in Chicago from June 11-13, determined to set a course for the coming year: defending patients, protecting communities, and beating back the authoritarian tide washing over American democracy. This year’s theme, “Protecting Patients, Healthcare and Communities,” was the rallying cry for attendees.

President Donald Trump’s so-called big, beautiful bill hands huge tax breaks to billionaires while driving up everyday costs for working families—from healthcare and groceries to college and energy bills. It even increases the national debt. Tell Congress: Stand with working people, not the ultra-wealthy.

On a day when President Trump was holding a military parade—and as arrests of protesters, including elected officials, made headlines—millions of people, including countless AFT members, took to the streets in peaceful protests to defend democracy and oppose deep cuts to public schools, healthcare and other vital services in Trump’s budget bill. “On this day, where we celebrate the flag, where we celebrate America, we are fighting for democracy,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten at a 150,000-person rally in Philadelphia. “The throughline in America is that the people are governed not by a king, not a tyrant, not nobility, but the people.” Watch this inspiring video to see how people turned out and stood up.

While it’s easy (and fun!) to get caught up in rainbow glam and snapping fans, Pride is more than a party, “it is action,” as one of the AFT’s LGBTQIA+ task force members put it. So in addition to parades and protests, the task force spent several days this month lobbying on Capitol Hill, networking with other advocacy organizations and planning for continued action on behalf of LGBTQIA+ people and their communities. Here are their reflections on this moment of both celebration and fear, and here is the AFT’s Pride page of resources and inspiration.

The “Make America Healthy Again” report claims to address childhood chronic disease but is riddled with misinformation, misleading science and contradictions. The Trump administration’s simultaneous efforts to slash Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and public health funding further undermine the report’s credibility. Here are a few things you should know about the report.

The AFT has long advocated for investment in the SUNY Downstate healthcare system, a teaching hospital that trains thousands of doctors—many are people of color—and cares for the Brooklyn community. After years of rallies, letters and activism from members of the AFT-affiliated United University Professions, who work at the hospital, and others, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a historic $1 billion investment to modernize and expand the hospital. “Eighteen months ago, the future of Brooklyn’s SUNY Downstate University Hospital was murky and its prospects bleak,” said Frederick Kowal, president of UUP, which has been key in the fight to fund the institution. “But the community and labor came together, and now we have more than $1 billion in capital funding that will be used to renovate the hospital and enhance its inpatient services. We thank Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state legislature for understanding the importance of Downstate University Hospital to the Brooklyn community and for taking action to secure the hospital’s future.”