Congressman Elijah Cummings - Keynote Address

Howard University's 2012 Symposium on U.S. Health Care Initiative on Democracy, Markets, Communications and Technology featured the Keynote Address from Howard University Alum, Congressman Elijah Cummings.

"When I heard about this conference I became very excited because this is something that is very important," opened Congressman Cummings.

Cummings addressed the symposium participants about the Affordable Care Act that is currently being debated in Congress. The crowd heard unfortunate stories about families and average citizens who faced challenges because of the lack of affordable Health Care.

"Ladies and gentleman this is unacceptable for a nation that is as wealthy and generous as ours," said Congressman Cummings in his call to action in support of the Affordable Care Act.

Congressman Cummings also spoke upon the many challenges and oppositions that the Affordable Care Act is facing from adversaries in Congress. "If there is any time for us, in every single discipline that we have, to fight for our lives, it is now."

In closing of the keynote address, Congressman Cummings spoke about how his interaction with his mother this past Easter Sunday reminded him about why he is passionate about current Health Care issues of today. Health Care is about "longevity so that generation after generation can benefit from each other."


Additional excerpts from the speech:

"Prior to the Affordable Care Act over 47 million were uninsured."

"We have to keep in mind that Health Care is very, very significant."

"Health care goes beyond having a healthy body and healthy mind."

"In your country [America] the people are afraid of the government."

"We still have work to do. Today there are still too many people that go without Health Care."

"Today the only Health Care plan for too many Americans is hope."

"We have duty to encourage our children to take apart of the STEM programs."

"We gotta deal with these things, this is about greed."

"Too often in our communities we have come to expect too little in our lives."

HOWARD UNIVERSITY INITIATIVE ON DEMOCRACY, MARKETS, COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY

  

2012 SYMPOSIUM ON U.S. 
HEALTH CARE 

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Congressman Elijah Cummings, (D-MD) will speak about policy issues related to health care

A One Day Symposium Focusing on Disparities in
 U.S. Health Care

Coordinated by a campus-wide team and led by Howard University's School of Communications in conjunction with WHUT and WHUR, the 2012 Symposium on U.S. Health Care will offer opinions and solutions from panelists consisting of Howard University and other highly respected thought-leaders, policy makers, and activists who spark debate and influence legislative actions.  Panelists will share their understandings, research findings, and beliefs about health issues and disparities.


Panels will address:

Communication Issues: Patient Navigation - Addresses disparities in access to treatment, and offers solutions on how to assist medically underserved patients in navigating their way through a complex health system.

Technology Issues - Offers methods concerning how communities of color can best make use of new media tools and other technology to assist with managing their health care.

Environmental Issues - Focuses on how the physical and built environment contribute to the persistent problems of health maintenance, health access and health disparities in urban neighborhoods.

Howard University's Initiative on Democracy, Markets, Communication and Technology is funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and support of the University's Time Warner Endowment Featured speakers include:

• Dr. Harold Freeman - Chairman Emeritus and Founder, Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention, New York, NY; Preeminent Authority on Poverty and Cancer 
• Dr. Brain Smedley - Vice President & Director, Health Policy Institutes of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, Washington DC. 
• Larry Warren - CEO, Howard University Hospital 
• Dr. Mohammed Akhter - Director, DC Department of Health
• Dr. Kerry-Ann Hamilton - Research of Mobile Technology and its Efficacy in Health Intervention, Howard University.
•  CNN Anchor Fredricka Whitfield will moderate the one-day conference on Disparities in U.S. Health Care, Tuesday, April 10, 2012 on the campus of Howard University.
• And more...

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