Airport workers rally at Dulles Airport over healthcare

Well, happening in just a few minutes, a rally for more affordable health care at Dulles Airport. Airport workers, health care advocates, and Virginia lawmakers coming together as part of the Sick of It bus tour, speaking out about the cost of coverage and calling for relief. Our Maureen Umeh live at Dulles this morning with a preview. Maureen? That's right. So the setup is underway right now. Take a look here behind me. You can see some of the airport workers, That's what we're talking about. These are the people that help you at the airport. We're talking about ramp agents and people who help you with the wheelchairs, baggage handlers. They all rely on Medicaid, and they all come together to share their experiences and also to call for action from lawmakers for what they're seeing is something that really affects not just their lives, their families' lives as well. And joining me now to talk more about it, this is Laura Packard. She is with Protect Our Care and also Kathy Trott, who is an airport worker with the union. Thank you both for being with us. For those who don't know what this is about, just in a nutshell, what is this issue about today? We're here because Republicans are voting to take away our health care to give tax breaks for billionaires. I'm Laura from Alexandria, and the Affordable Care Act saved my life, so this is personal. And so for you, Kathy, as an airport worker, what does this mean for your family when you have to contend between, you know, paying other bills and health care coverage? What does that personally mean for you? Personally, it's like it's just financial struggles because right now I do not have health insurance because I can't afford to take more payments out of what I already have financially available. So health care is like definitely a must because, yes, we will fall ill. Me as a ramp agent, I'm constantly out in the elements. So I will I will like end up, you know, breaking a bone or something. It's frustrating. I hear that in your voice. And so the message this morning, I know lawmakers will be here. What is the message you're sending to lawmakers this morning, whether it be Democrats or Republicans? We're sick of it. We are tired of their attacks on our health care. Yeah. And that is quite simply, this is the first of, I don't know if it's the first, but there are 15 cities that you all are going to. And the message across the board is that they need to do something now. How quickly and how do you think this message will resonate overall? Well, the House has already passed a bill to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, but the Senate refuses to act. So we need Republicans to step up and make healthcare affordable. Indeed. And so quite simply, that is the message this morning. You're going to hear from Congressman Suhas Subramanian and James Walkinshaw, along with local senators as well. they're all coming together to send this message this is a tour that's going across 15 cities it will head to Williamsburg later this afternoon but as you can see it's getting underway the setup at least it is it starts at 9 30 this morning of course we'll be here sharing their message of course letting you know what they're saying at this press conference and rally and bringing you that in our later reports whether it be on air or online but that's the latest from Maureen, send it back to you guys in the studio We'll be right back.