Maria Elena Jauregui, Spanish-language, 818.355.5291
SACRAMENTO, CA – The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California today announced the 750,000 – member organization’s endorsement of Dr. Jasmeet Bains and current Bakersfield Assemblywoman who announced today she will challenge David Valadao to represent the 22nd Congressional District.
Riko Mendez, Chief Elected Officer of SEIU Local 521 and Executive Board Member of SEIU California, made the following statement:
“Dr. Jasmeet Bains is SEIU members’ choice for Congress because she’s fighting for our lives, our kids’ healthcare, and home care our seniors need to thrive. Growing up in the Valley, Dr. Bains knows that we struggle with the basics other regions take for granted – being able to take your kids to the doctor when they’re sick, or have an emergency room nearby when the worst case scenario becomes your reality. David Valadao’s vote for $1 trillion in health care cuts will make things worse and result in preventable deaths. We need a leader like Jasmeet in Congress – someone who is fighting for the people in the Central Valley, not billionaires, and we’ll be working hard every day to make sure she wins.
“David Valadao betrayed every working family in the nation when he cast a deciding vote that will terminate our healthcare, close our hospitals, lay off healthcare workers, and send healthcare costs through the roof. Voting for Medi-Cal cuts when 9 out of 10 children in CD 22 rely on it for healthcare in order to give massive tax cuts to the huge corporations and the wealthiest Americans absolutely disqualifies Valadao to represent us. Working people promised to hold members of Congress accountable for voting to cut healthcare for children, veterans, seniors and cancer patients in order to help billionaires buy bigger private jets. Valadao promised repeatedly to protect his constituents’ healthcare, but it was all just empty words. The choice before voters in November is clear: a dishonest politician who has voted repeatedly to take healthcare away from his constituents, or a practicing physician who fights for the health of our kids and our families.”
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SEIU local unions in California are made up of workers in frontline, essential roles across the state: nurses, healthcare workers, janitors, social workers, security officers, in-home caregivers, school and university employees, court workers, airport workers, and city, county and state employees.
