For Immediate Release:
February 9, 2021 

 Hospice Action Network Honors 2021 Congressional Champions

NHPCO advocacy affiliate recognizes members of Congress who have supported hospice 

(Alexandria, Va) – The Hospice Action Network (HAN), the advocacy affiliate of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2021 Hospice Action Network Angel Award. This award was created to recognize select members of Congress who serve hospice and palliative care patients and their families through their efforts to support the vital mission of hospice and palliative care. These honorees use their platform to amplify the voices of patients facing a serious or life-limiting illness and their families. 

The award recipients are as follows: 

      • Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) 
      • Representative Vern Buchanan (R-FL-16) 
      • Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) 
      • Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) 
      • Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) 
      • Representative Steven Horsford (D-NV-04) 
      • Representative Joe Morelle (D-NY-25) 
      • Representative Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-20) 
      • Representative Tom Reed (R-NY-23) 
      • Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) 
      • Representative Steve Scalise (R-LA-01) 
      • Representative Mike Thompson (D-CA-05) 

The honorees expressed their appreciation for the recognition.  

“I was raised by my maternal grandparents and later served as my grandmother’s primary caregiver as she grew older, which is why hospice and palliative care are extremely personal to me,” Senator Tammy Baldwin said. “I’m proud to have worked across party lines to advocate for this critical care being made more accessible for Americans. I will continue to be a voice for patients and their families and remain committed to working to grow and support our palliative and hospice health care workforce which provides quality of care for the growing number of patients with serious or life-threatening illnesses.” 

“My family personally experienced the care and compassion provided by hospice. This is why I am proud to support hospice providers in Wyoming and across our nation. I am honored to receive this award and will continue working to improve hospice access for American patients and their families,” Senator John Barrasso said. 

“People in the final stages of life should have access to the compassionate care that hospice and palliative care provide. As someone who cared for aging parents and experienced firsthand what it is like to have a family member receive hospice care, I have been and continue to be committed to making sure this critical service is available in all communities, including rural areas,” Senator Shelley Moore Capito said. “I also know the incredible strain that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have on this type of care, which is why I have introduced legislation to ensure patients have access to more time with loved ones throughout the pandemic, and fought to delay Medicare payment cuts that would be detrimental to our home health, hospice, health center, and durable medical equipment suppliers. I’m honored to be selected as one of HAN’s Angel Awardees again this year, and I am so grateful for the work HAN, NHPCO, and all the hospice and palliative caregivers do on behalf of people across West Virginia.” 

“I have long worked to advance bipartisan solutions that expand the public’s access to palliative and end-of-life care. These services provide patients facing serious illness and their families with the high-quality care and comfort they deserve. Thank you to the NHPCO for this award and their work on behalf of the American people,” Senator Deb Fischer said.      

“When I was nine weeks old, my grandmother suffered a debilitating stroke that left her reliant on nursing care for the rest of her life. I know the difference that palliative care makes, and I will always fight to make sure patients have the high-quality care they need and deserve,” Representative Steven Horsford said. “I’m honored to receive the 2021 Hospice Action Network Angel Award, and I look forward to working with the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization to continue to advocate for all patients and families.” 

“Our nation is suffering a collective and overwhelming grief as a result of this pandemic,” Representative Joe Morelle said. “Hospice and palliative care providers have been there supporting patients and their families through their darkest hours—bringing them light, and peace. I am humbled and honored by this award, and I remain committed to working alongside NHPCO to continue supporting patients going forward.”  

“The facilities that serve hospice and palliative care patients and their family members, and employ caregivers and administrative staff, should always meet high standards of quality, safety, and transparency,” Representative Jimmy Panetta said. “That’s why I worked closely with the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization to introduce and pass the Hospice Act, which was signed into law in 2020. Although I greatly appreciate this recognition for my work on that legislation, the grassroots advocacy and bipartisan collaboration was the foundation for this law that will ensure accountability for the safety and wellbeing of hospice caregivers and those in their care.” 

“We will always be an advocate for hospice care and the quality care and support they give to families and their loved ones. At the end of my mother’s life, I witnessed firsthand the compassion of hospice care professionals and was inspired to become a hospice volunteer as my way of saying thank you. We are honored that Hospice Action Network has chosen to recognize us for our work and we commend them in their efforts to expand access to hospice care here in America,” Representative Tom Reed said. 

“It’s an honor to be recognized by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization for my work to provide seniors in Nevada and across the country better access to comprehensive health services, including hospice and palliative care,” Senator Jacky Rosen said. “I will continue to lead on this issue and look forward to partnering with the nation’s hospice and palliative care providers to make sure that America’s seniors receive the best care possible.” 

Our hospice and palliative care workers take incredible care of their patients and their families. They provide kindness and compassion during an exceedingly difficult time. I am honored to be recognized by the Hospice Action Network and will continue to fight for Americans facing serious or life-limiting illness in Congress,” Representative Steve Scalise said. 

“I am honored to receive the 2021 Hospice Action Network Angel Award from the Hospice Action Network,” Representative Mike Thompson said. “As a member of the Ways and Means Committee, I have worked to pass legislation that provides security and dignity to hospice and palliative care patients. My wife, Janet, is a former hospice nurse and I know well the difficulties that families experience with loved ones facing serious and terminal illness. I am committed to continuing these efforts to support these patients and the brave health care heroes who care for them.” 

HAN and NHPCO are proud to recognize these lawmakers. 

“We are thankful to these members of Congress for their leadership and support of hospice and palliative care patients and their families who rely on person- and family-centered, interdisciplinary care during their greatest time of need,” said Edo Banach, President and CEO of NHPCO and HAN. 

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Contact:
Jon Radulovic
Communications Director
Ph: 571-412-3973 

About HAN
NHPCO and the Hospice Action Network work closely together to make an impact. NHPCO sets the public policy agenda through its Legislative Affairs Committee. The Hospice Action Network implements the agenda through direct lobbying, grassroots advocacy, and by empowering Hospice Advocates to share their hospice story with Congress. HAN’s mission is to advocate, with one voice, for policies that ensure the best care for patients and families facing serious illness and the end of life.