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A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 28 OctOber 2022
Oregon could be 1st state to make health care a human right

By ANDREW SELSKY of the state to ensure that
Associated Press every resident of Oregon
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon has access to cost-effec-
voters are being asked to tive, clinically appropriate
decide whether the state and affordable health care
should be the first in the as a fundamental right.”
nation to amend its consti- It goes on to say that the
tution to explicitly declare state’s obligation “must be
that affordable health care balanced against the pub-
is a fundamental human lic interest in funding public
right. schools and other essential
State Sen. Elizabeth Steiner public services.”
Hayward, a main sponsor But it doesn’t define “cost-
of the legislation behind effective, clinically appro-
the ballot measure, said priate and affordable,” or
making health care a hu- who is supposed to be foot-
man right is a value state- ing the bill.
ment and is not aimed at The Oregon Health Author-
pushing Oregon to a single- ity says 94% of Oregonians
payer health care system, already have insurance
a longtime goal of many coverage, and that more
progressives. are eligible for the Oregon
But opponents warn the A nurse talks to a patient in the emergency room at Salem Hospital in Salem, Ore., on Aug. 20, Medicaid plan or a subsidy
amendment could trigger 2021. to reduce the cost of com-
legal and political woes Associated Press mercial health coverage.
and open the door to law- But Steiner Hayward not-
suits. “The bill doesn’t fund any promises like that,” Steiner called the new ballot mea- ed that having insurance
Measure 111 got onto the system to deliver on that Hayward said. sure “a critical first step to doesn’t guarantee access.
Nov. 8 ballot because the promise,” then-Senate Re- Oregon has a history of be- creating an Oregon where “We know that we have
Legislature, where Demo- publican Leader Fred Gi- ing a trendsetter for other everyone can afford to be health care deserts in the
crats hold a majority, re- rod said when the resolu- liberal states: It was the first healthy.” state. We know that our
ferred the issue to voters tion was debated in March to legalize suicide for the Those signing a statement primary care system is over-
last year. There were ear- 2021. terminally ill and was the of support in the voters’ stretched,” she said. “We
lier efforts, including in 2018 Steiner Hayward recently first to designate itself as pamphlet included the Or- need to be thinking about
as then-President Donald told The Oregonian/Or- a sanctuary state to pro- egon Nurses Association; how do we change all of
Trump tried to dismantle egonLive that if the mea- tect immigrants living in the Providence Health & Ser- those things to ensure that
former President Barack sure passes next month, the country illegally. The state vices a nonprofit Catholic having good health insur-
Obama’s health care law, state’s current resources has also expanded cov- health care system with ance means having good
but they died in the state- can handle any financial erage on abortions and multiple hospitals; the Or- access to health care.”
house. impact in the immediate other reproductive services egon Academy of Family The measure was long
Republican lawmakers future. But she would not regardless of income, citi- Physicians; and the Service championed by Demo-
consistently opposed ef- rule out possible future tax zenship status or gender Employees International cratic state Rep. Mitch
forts to ask voters to en- increases to help provide identity. Union, the largest labor Greenlick, who died in 2020
shrine health care as a right that health care. Three dozen organizations, union in Oregon. at age 85, a year before
in Oregon’s 163-year-old “Can I guarantee no new including health workers, The proposed amendment the Legislature approved
constitution. taxes? No. I don’t make unions and educators, states: “It is the obligation putting it on the ballot. q

First-ever female commissioner to lead NYC fire department

NEW YORK (AP) — New York oversee a department of Blasio and former President
City Mayor Eric Adams on 17,000, including firefighters Barack Obama, before
Thursday appointed acting and emergency medical joining the department in
Fire Commissioner Laura workers. an administrative role in
Kavanagh to lead the de- Her appointment as com- 2014. She was named first
partment on a permanent missioner represents prog- deputy commissioner in
basis, making her the first ress for a department 2018.
female commissioner in the seeking to diversify after As first deputy commis-
157-year history of the Fire decades as a white male sioner and acting commis-
Department of New York. bastion. sioner, Kavanagh oversaw
“Laura Kavanagh is a prov- As of August there were the department’s handling
en and tested leader, and 141 female firefighters in of the COVID-19 pandemic
I’m proud to announce the FDNY, the most since a and its response to trag-
her historic appointment lawsuit forced the depart- edies including a Bronx fire
today,” the Democratic ment to hire women as fire- that killed 19.
mayor said. fighters in the 1980s. She is a graduate of Whitti-
Kavanagh, 40, has served Kavanagh has never been er College in California and
New York City Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh, right, and
New York Mayor Eric Adams, left, hold an NYFD badge after as acting commissioner a firefighter herself.She was has a master’s degree in
Kavanagh was sworn in during a ceremony at FDNY Engine 33/ since the retirement of a senior adviser to former public administration from
Ladder 9, Thursday, Oct 27, 2022 in New York. Commissioner Daniel Ni- Mayor Bill de Blasio, and Columbia University.q
Associated Press gro in February. She will a campaign staffer for de