I'm at A Better Deal, for young people who are trying to navigate the economy in such troubling times. We've told you these stats before: youth have twice the unemployment than the rest of the country despite having twice the education, 1/3 of Millennials don't have health insurance at all, and many more are under insured...
These are all things we're talking about in the next two days at a Better Deal 2009. Follow on Twitter #abd09 or here is the live stream online. Or watch below. I'm about to also upload the welcome remarks.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi along with Reps. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Kathy Dahlkemper (D-PA) held a press conference with representatives from several youth organizations in support of the Young Adult Health Coverage Act which allows young Americans remain on their health insurance plan until they turn 26.
"Young adults are the most uninsured group in the country. They often lose coverage at age 19 when they graduate from high school or a few years later when they graduate from college. Once they enter the workforce, they face new obstacles to getting insurance. Today, they are speaking out and their voices are being heard. For many weeks, young Americans have added to the call to the chorus for reform. They have offered specific proposals about health insurance reform that works for everyone.
Our legislation answers their call by: ending discrimination based on pre-existing medical conditions, capping out-of-pocket costs, focusing on preventive care, investing in workforce training to boost the number of primary care doctors and nurses, creating a health insurance exchange to give Americans a better deal in the individual insurance market, and speaking personally, a public option in the House bill. Today, I'm pleased to announce that our bill will allow young people to stay on their parents' policy until their 27th birthday if they need it.
Our young people are our future. This is our opportunity to lay a foundation for growth, progress, and prosperity for our youth, and provide affordable, quality health care to every American. It is an opportunity we will not miss."
The Speaker has been a consistent ally to the youth movement, frequently lending her leadership to issues that support my generation. Reps. Van Hollen and Dahlkemper should be proud of their work on something so meaningful in the health care battle.
We are very excited to be hosting a workshop on teaching peace in Oklahoma public schools, and with that workshop kicking off a program to provide alternatives to the pro-war messages and limited options offered to young people by recruiters in schools, malls and just about everywhere they go these days.
Here's the text of our invitational flyer:
TEACH PEACE
WORKSHOP TO SHOWCASE ALTERNATIVES
TO MILITARY RECRUITMENT,
KICK OFF EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN Monday, 8-10-2009, 6:30 - 9:00 pm
Joy Mennonite Church, 504 16th St, Oklahoma City
(corner of Lincoln and 16th, just south of Capitol)
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Speaker Nancy Pelosi along with Reps. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Kathy Dahlkemper (D-PA) held a press conference with representatives from several youth organizations in support of the 