U.S. Congressman and Massachusetts Senatorial hopeful Ed Markey tours the East Boston Neighborhood
Health Center with California Congressman Xavier Bacerra last Friday. Dr. Karin Leschly,
medical director for family medicine at the Health Center provided the Congressmen with the tour.
U.S. Congressman Ed Markey made a campaign stop in East Boston last Friday in his bid to win the Massachusetts Senate seat.
California Congressman Xavier Bacerra joined Markey for a tour of the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center facility in Maverick Square. The facility was built using federal stimulus money and Markey and Bacerra got a first hand look at how the federal dollars were well spent.
Markey, who helped announce the $12 million EBNHC got a few years back to build the Maverick Square facility said he wanted to show Bacerra how proud he and entire community is over the facility.
“For me it’s a great honor show Bacerra this incredible facility in East Boston and how proud I am of it and how proud the staff, physicians and entire community is of it,” said Markey. “Ralph Waldo Emerson said ‘health is the first wealth’ and what we have done here in East Boston and Massachusetts ensures every child has access to health care facilities and there is a pot (funds) to build facilities like this were health care is made available and people can receive quality health care in a dignified setting where the only thing that matters is the health and well being of families.”
Of the EBNHC facility, Markey said it doesn’t make any difference of someone’s income level or nationality the only thing that matters is health care of children and families.
“This has been out business plan because we believe the more educated and healthy our young people are the better future workforce we will have,” said Markey. “East Boston is a perfect example of what’s going on across the country now thanks to Affordable Care Act. You can see what happens when you invest in health care and you can see change that takes place in the relationship families have with health care.”
Markey pointed out that while Republicans voted against the Affordable Care Act he and Bacerra voted in favor because it makes facilities like EBNHC and the quality of health care inside possible.
“It’s an ongoing battle but it is the right thing to do,” said Markey. “You can see the impact a facility like this has on people and families and the community.”
EBNHC President Jack Cradock thanked Markey and said the facility is stimulus money alive and well.
“I tell the Congressman all the time that when someone criticize President Obama and what he did they should come to East Boston and look at out facility and out colleague health centers around the country,” said Cradock.
Latest polls have Markey up by 7 points over Republican challenger Gabriel Gomez.