Rep. Nanette Barragan grew up the youngest of 11 children and remembers visits to the community clinic and not being able to afford to go to the dentist. That’s one of the reasons she prioritizes children’s access to doctors and dental care.
“It’s about doing what’s right,” says Rep. Barragan, one of only 40 members of Congress who made the First Focus Campaign for Children’s list of 2019 Champions for Children. “There’s not equal access and there are so many inequities among our communities. Every child should get a fair shot.”
In this brief video, Rep. Barragan discusses with First Focus President Bruce Lesley her bill to expand the Children’s Health Insurance Program to more kids and to work with House leadership to secure additional funding to support full access to adult and pediatric dental services. Rep. Barragan has also introduced a bill to address the social determinants of health, such as housing, food security, environmental safety, and educational opportunities.
“I can relate when somebody approaches me on an issue or when I see something that’s being done to our children that’s wrong,” she says. “Who’s going to act if we don’t act for our children?”