Van Hollen, Brown, Booker, Padilla Reintroduce Resolution Declaring Racism a Public Health Crisis

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) in reintroducing a Senate Resolution to declare racism a public health crisis.

The resolution acknowledges the history of racism and discrimination within health care and the systemic barriers that people of color continue to face when seeking care. The resolution also highlights the effects of systemic racism on the health and wellness of communities of color, resulting in shorter life expectancy, worsened health outcomes, and enhanced exposure to harmful or dangerous environments. This resolution encourages concrete action to address health disparities and inequity across all sectors in society.

The resolution led by Senators Brown, Booker, and Padilla was cosponsored in addition to Senator Van Hollen by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Thomas R. Carper (D-Del.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).

Full text of the resolution is available here.

A full list of supporting organizations is available here.