My daughter Zoe was born with a congenital heart defect that required her to have multiple open heart surgeries in the first few months of her life. By the time she was six months old, she had already reached over half of her lifetime health insurance cap, which would have left us unable to pay for the continuing care and future surgeries required for Zoe to survive.

I can't tell you how relieved I was when Obamacare passed. I got a letter from our insurance company telling us that Zoe's lifetime cap had been removed. It meant my family wouldn't have to lose everything to keep my daughter alive.

By re-electing Barack Obama, Americans sent the clear message that we want Obamacare.

But for some reason, Republicans continue to fight against the will of the American people. Maybe it's because they'll do anything to stop the President from succeeding or maybe they want to keep giving insurance companies record profits. Either way, I don't care. What I care about is keeping my child healthy — and that's what Obamacare makes possible.

My family, and hundreds of thousands of families like mine across the country, have been through so much. We deserve better than Republicans continuously fighting against a policy that's been voted on, upheld by the Supreme Court, and reaffirmed by the American people.

Join me and sign this petition telling Republicans to stop trying to repeal Obamacare.

My daughter Zoe was born with a congenital heart defect that required her to have multiple open heart surgeries in the first few months of her life. By the time she was six months old, she had already reached over half of her lifetime health insurance cap, which would have left us unable to pay for the continuing care and future surgeries required for Zoe to survive.

I can't tell you how relieved I was when Obamacare passed. I got a letter from our insurance company telling us that Zoe's lifetime cap had been removed. It meant my family wouldn't have to lose everything to keep my daughter alive.

By re-electing Barack Obama, Americans sent the clear message that we want Obamacare.

But for some reason, Republicans continue to fight against the will of the American people. Maybe it's because they'll do anything to stop the President from succeeding or maybe they want to keep giving insurance companies record profits. Either way, I don't care. What I care about is keeping my child healthy — and that's what Obamacare makes possible.

My family, and hundreds of thousands of families like mine across the country, have been through so much. We deserve better than Republicans continuously fighting against a policy that's been voted on, upheld by the Supreme Court, and reaffirmed by the American people.

Join me and sign this petition telling Republicans to stop trying to repeal Obamacare.

As an AAPI, I offer that the history of the AAPI’s in America has not always been an easy one; we suffered bigotry, injustice, and discrimination as early as the mid-19th century, with violence and injustice applied through a series of highly discriminatory and prejudicial laws such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the Gentleman’s Agreement of 1907, the Asiatic Barred Zone Act of 1917, the National Origins Act of 1924, and Executive Order 9066 of 1942.  These laws denied AAPIs citizenship, stopped AAPI immigration, and separated families. Executive Order 9066 created the internment camps for Japanese Americans during World War II.  But it wasn’t until the enactment of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 -- in the wake of massive Civil Rights changes in this country -- that we began to affect changes through the political process that had before worked against us. With this act, barriers to AAPI immigration were reduced and families began to be reunited. We began our struggle for rights as Americans, not our right to be Americans. AAPI political activism, though a relatively late entry in the U.S. political landscape, is nonetheless very strong, and continually growing. 

Our hopes and aspirations are the same as those of all Americans. We care greatly about our families. Because of historical inequities, AAPI families were separated, and when the egregious laws were repealed, we were faced with a huge backlog in getting our families reunited. That is why, at a time when Immigration reform is being considered, it is critical that Family Reunification be part of this comprehensive Immigration Reform. Comprehensive Immigration Reform cannot be addressed piecemeal, and it cannot be looked at only from the business and economic perspective.  It must address all aspects of Immigration, including Family Reunification. We can do it! Together we can do anything!

I ask for your continued support of one another. We must move forward. We must make sure that old battles stay won, and fight new battles all the harder.

With four kids (including me) my mom left Haiti, the only home she had ever known. She left behind family and friends -- but she also left a country governed by an oppressive dictatorial regime.

When she came to the States, she worked hard to support her family.  While my dad worked as a teacher and social worker, she worked as a factory worker, salesperson and nurses aid — and she taught me so much.

My mom taught me perseverance in the face of near hopeless circumstances and she instilled in me an instinct for doing the just thing instead of the expedient thing. Like so many immigrants, she risked everything so that her kids could achieve the American Dream. And I can never thank her enough.

As we celebrate Mother's Day this year, let's pause to think of immigrant moms like mine who would stop at nothing to give their kids a better life with more opportunity. Let's rededicate ourselves to finding commonsense solutions and support the President's plan to fix our broken immigration system. 

Happy mother's day to my mom, and to all the moms out there.

With four kids (including me) my mom left Haiti, the only home she had ever known. She left behind family and friends -- but she also left a country governed by an oppressive dictatorial regime.

When she came to the States, she worked hard to support her family.  While my dad worked as a teacher and social worker, she worked as a factory worker, salesperson and nurses aid — and she taught me so much.

My mom taught me perseverance in the face of near hopeless circumstances and she instilled in me an instinct for doing the just thing instead of the expedient thing. Like so many immigrants, she risked everything so that her kids could achieve the American Dream. And I can never thank her enough.

As we celebrate Mother's Day this year, let's pause to think of immigrant moms like mine who would stop at nothing to give their kids a better life with more opportunity. Let's rededicate ourselves to finding commonsense solutions and support the President's plan to fix our broken immigration system. 

Happy mother's day to my mom, and to all the moms out there.

With four kids (including me) my mom left Haiti, the only home she had ever known. She left behind family and friends -- but she also left a country governed by an oppressive dictatorial regime.

When she came to the States, she worked hard to support her family.  While my dad worked as a teacher and social worker, she worked as a factory worker, salesperson and nurse's aid — and she taught me so much.

My mom taught me perseverance in the face of near hopeless circumstances and she instilled in me an instinct for doing the just thing instead of the expedient thing. Like so many immigrants, she risked everything so that her kids could achieve the American Dream. And I can never thank her enough.

As we celebrate Mother's Day this year, let's pause to think of immigrant moms like mine who would stop at nothing to give their kids a better life with more opportunity. Let's rededicate ourselves to finding commonsense solutions and support the President's plan to fix our broken immigration system. 

Happy mother's day to my mom, and to all the moms out there.

With four kids (including me) my mom left Haiti, the only home she had ever known. She left behind family and friends -- but she also left a country governed by an oppressive dictatorial regime.

When she came to the States, she worked hard to support her family.  While my dad worked as a teacher and social worker, she worked as a factory worker, salesperson and nurse's aid — and she taught me so much.

My mom taught me perseverance in the face of near hopeless circumstances and she instilled in me an instinct for doing the just thing instead of the expedient thing. Like so many immigrants, she risked everything so that her kids could achieve the American Dream. And I can never thank her enough.

As we celebrate Mother's Day this year, let's pause to think of immigrant moms like mine who would stop at nothing to give their kids a better life with more opportunity. Let's rededicate ourselves to finding commonsense solutions and support the President's plan to fix our broken immigration system. 

Happy mother's day to my mom, and to all the moms out there.

Our Chair @dwstweets was inspired by her 5th grade teacher. Who inspired you? #ThankATeacher democrats.org/news/blog/than…

— The Democrats (@TheDemocrats) May 7, 2013

Ms. Botton, thanks for inspiring me and all of my classmates to study hard and dream big: democrats.org/news/blog/than… #ThankATeacher

— D Wasserman Schultz (@DWStweets) May 7, 2013

Congrats @greenstreetacad Ketia Stokes @baltcityschools Teacher of the Year. yum:I ate the eggs!#ThankATeacher twitter.com/MayorSRB/statu…

— Mayor Rawlings-Blake (@MayorSRB) May 10, 2013

Thank you Mrs Sandra Whippie for inspiring me in 2nd grade to understand working for social justice is the greatest calling #thankateacher

— Raymond Buckley (@ChairmanBuckley) May 9, 2013

It's Teacher Appreciation Week, and I have plenty to appreciate. First shout out goes to Ms. Mostoller. #TheBest #DealJHS#thankateacher

— Lucas Fleischer (@lucasfleischer) May 10, 2013

Thank you Mrs. Miller-Burton for reminding me to#NeverGiveUp no matter how tough the math problems seemed. #ThankATeacher

— Steve Walker (@stevenlwalker) May 10, 2013

To my mom, Joyce Woodhouse, for teaching for 26 years. #ThankaTeacher

— Brad Woodhouse (@woodhouseb) May 10, 2013

Our Chair @dwstweets was inspired by her 5th grade teacher. Who inspired you? #ThankATeacher democrats.org/news/blog/than…

— The Democrats (@TheDemocrats) May 7, 2013

Ms. Botton, thanks for inspiring me and all of my classmates to study hard and dream big: democrats.org/news/blog/than… #ThankATeacher

— D Wasserman Schultz (@DWStweets) May 7, 2013

Congrats @greenstreetacad Ketia Stokes @baltcityschools Teacher of the Year. yum:I ate the eggs!#ThankATeacher twitter.com/MayorSRB/statu…

— Mayor Rawlings-Blake (@MayorSRB) May 10, 2013

Thank you Mrs Sandra Whippie for inspiring me in 2nd grade to understand working for social justice is the greatest calling #thankateacher

— Raymond Buckley (@ChairmanBuckley) May 9, 2013

It's Teacher Appreciation Week, and I have plenty to appreciate. First shout out goes to Ms. Mostoller. #TheBest #DealJHS#thankateacher

— Lucas Fleischer (@lucasfleischer) May 10, 2013

Thank you Mrs. Miller-Burton for reminding me to#NeverGiveUp no matter how tough the math problems seemed. #ThankATeacher

— Steve Walker (@stevenlwalker) May 10, 2013

To my mom, Joyce Woodhouse, for teaching for 26 years. #ThankaTeacher

— Brad Woodhouse (@woodhouseb) May 10, 2013