Nanette Diaz Barragán was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2016, becoming the first Latina ever to represent California’s 44th Congressional district.
Born in Harbor City and growing up in its surrounding harbor communities, Nanette’s humble beginnings shaped her interest in issues that matter locally: environmental and health justice, immigration reform, strengthening the economy and affordable and accessible education.
As the youngest of eleven children raised by immigrant parents from Mexico, Nanette knows about the challenges that many low-income minority families face firsthand. Her father, a local tv repairman, instilled in her a strong work ethic and influenced her love for baseball (in particular, for the Los Angeles Dodgers). Her mother, who only completed the third grade, cleaned homes, cared for others and worked in factories to make ends meet. Nanette learned from her parents the values of hard work, and obtained her undergraduate degree from UCLA and her Juris Doctor from USC Gould School of Law.
Healthcare is a fundamental right. Throughout my time in Congress, I have consistently fought on behalf of the Affordable Care Act. The ACA has provided affordable health care coverage for approximately 20 million Americans since its enactment in 2010. Thanks to the ACA , insurance companies can’t discriminate against those with pre-existing medical conditions. Thanks to the ACA, families can keep children on their health insurance plans until they turn 26 years old. And thanks to the ACA, Medicaid coverage has been expanded in California. While the ACA is not perfect and needs to be strengthened, it has saved lives and expanded coverage to those in need.
Almost 120,000 people have gained coverage in the 44th congressional district alone due to the ACA. The State of California has insured nearly 5 million people which means that 91% of all Californians have health care coverage. Millions more Californians have directly benefitted from the ACA’s efforts to strengthen current healthcare laws and will no longer have to fear losing their healthcare as a result of a change in work circumstances or an unforeseen diagnosis.
Congress should work to improve the ACA where improvements are needed. Instead, Republicans are busy trying to gut its most important provisions. I will fight to preserve and strengthen health care reforms that make quality, affordable health coverage accessible to all.