Super Bowl, Celebrating Black History Month, Going Red for Women and Health Care Reform -- February 2, 2012
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Thank you for reading the Carson Courier. For additional information, please visit our website at https://www.carson.house.gov.
In this week's Carson Courier:
· Super Bowl Festivities
· Celebrating Black History Month
· American Heart Association Goes Red for Women
· What Health Care Reform Means to You
Super Bowl Festivities
With the Super Bowl just a few days away, the excitement in Indianapolis is at an all-time high. This has been an inspiring time for our city, highlighting the many unique strengths that make Indianapolis America's best kept secret. This week, in addition to cheerleading for my hometown, I have also had the opportunity to attend many great events dedicated to strengthening our community.
On Wednesday, the NFL Play 60 Kids' Day gave more than 1,200 local children the opportunity to spend time with NFL players at the NFL Experience in downtown Indianapolis. The event highlighted the importance of healthy living, encouraging local youth to spend at least 60 minutes exercising each day. It was my great honor to join with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Colts Owner Jim Irsay, General Motors Director of Advertising Craig Bierly, and a number of NFL Players at this event and to share with our city's young people the importance of active living.
Yesterday, I had the privilege of attending the ribbon cutting for the NFL Youth Education Town at the Chase Near Eastside Legacy Center. NFL Charities donated $1 million towards the completion of the YET facility, helping the Super Bowl Host Committee and members of the local community leverage an additional $10.3 million towards the completion of the entire Legacy Center. This incredible building will provide programming and resources for residents of all ages in Indy's Near Eastside. I am grateful to Chase and the NFL for their engagement in our community.
You can learn more about the Chase Near Eastside Legacy Center here.
Celebrating Black History Month
February is Black History Month—a time for recommitting to the promotion of equality and fairness and a brighter future for all. Our celebration of Black History Month this year is made even more vibrant with the newly dedicated Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial in Washington, D.C. Today, Dr. King's statue stands between those of Presidents Lincoln and Jefferson. It stands as a testament to strength and determination of the African American community, which has done so much to enrich our country.
The theme of this year's celebration, ‘Black Women in American Culture and History,' pays tribute to the critical role of African-American women in American life - from Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth to Rosa Parks and Michelle Obama. While there is still much work to be done, my Democratic colleagues and I are committed to reigniting the American dream and working with President Obama to restore the values of fairness and opportunity to our nation.
American Heart Association Goes Red for Women
Today is the American Heart Association's National Wear Red Day, which is designed to raise awareness about heart illness among women. Many may be surprised to learn that heart illness is the number one killer of women. I urge all women to take a moment to familiarize themselves with the signs of heart attack and stroke, https://www.goredforwomen.org/about_heart_disease_and_stroke.aspx, as well as learning tips for heart-healthy living.
What Health Care Reform Means to You
Republicans continue to ridicule the Affordable Care Act as an example of government overreach, but what they fail to mention is that 2.5 million young adults now have health insurance. Health care insurers can no longer drop people from coverage when they get sick, place lifetime limits on coverage, or deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions. Without passage of the Affordable Care Act, many young people would be uninsured and would be forced to assume the cost of financially-devastating hospital bills in order to get the care they need.
In addition to the $250 Medicare prescription drug rebates some seniors received in 2010, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released figures this week showing that Medicare beneficiaries in Indiana saved an average of $648 on their prescription drugs last year. HHS estimates this crucial benefit will help Medicare beneficiaries save an average of nearly $4200 by 2021.
Despite the dramatic improvements in expanding access to health care services, some of my colleagues in Congress continue to attempt to undo these benefits piece by piece. This week, without offering an alternative, the House regrettably passed legislation to repeal the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Program, which sought to expand options for long term care insurance. Rest assured, I will continue to fight these attempts to eliminate access to affordable and quality health care, now and in the future.
Thank you for reading theCarson Courier. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts and concerns. For more information, visit my website at https://www.carson.house.gov, my Congressional Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CongressmanAndreCarsonand follow me on Twitter @RepAndreCarson. I value your views and your input, which help me better represent the people of Indiana's 7th District.