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Legislators and Grassroots Organizations Across the Country Discuss Health Care Reform

Week in Community Values for April 23, 2009
Born out of a mass rejection of the failed policies of individualism and divisiveness, the Campaign for Community Values is a return to the beliefs our country was founded on: shared responsibility, shared sacrifice and shared success.
 
Take a look at the great work our partners across the country have done since we last updated you:
 
Grassroots Groups Meet with Legislators, Get Support for Health Care Reform
 
Over the April Easter recess, the Health Rights Organizing Project kicked into high gear and held a series of public meetings and other events with members of congress.  These were part of the national effort to promote quality, affordable, health care for all and were coordinated by Health Care for American NOW!   Grassroots organizations are flexing their political muscle to get health care reform done this year and will continue to push for equity in our health care system and the inclusion of immigrants.  All together more then 1,200 people turned out to show their support for a strong and inclusive public health insurance plan.
 
Some highlights from the Easter recess included:
  • Senator Sherrod Brown from Ohio took a stand as champion of a public plan and attacked abuses of the insurance industry at meeting with over 500 people in Cleveland.  The event was organized by the OHIO HCAN coalition and hosted by the Northeast Ohio Organization for Hope.
  • In New Hampshire, both Congressman Paul Hodes and Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter took positions supporting the public health insurance plan in health care reform at a forum organized by the Granite State Organizing Project and New Hampshire VOICES for Health.  Earlier in the month Shea-Porter’s staff said her vote to include immigrants in CHIP would inform her position on immigrant inclusion in broader health care reform.
  • In Oregon, Community Organizations in Action held a town hall with Congressman Earl Blumenauer who vowed to work with his constituents to challenge Senator Wyden to support a public plan.  Together they will be holding house meetings across the state over the next 60 days.
  • In Minnesota, ISAIAH hosted Congressman Keith Ellison who pledged his support for immigrant inclusion in health care and agreed to carry that message to the Congressional Black Caucus and Progressive Caucus. 
  • Colorado Progressive Action got creative holding two fun events: a Health Care Carnival in Greely, CO where “Take Action” booths generated calls to Senators Bennett and Udall and a Mini-Marcha in Pueblo where 50 people carrying placards marched to Representative Salazar and Senator Bennet’s district offices delivering over 500 postcards to Salazar, and over 1500 postcards to Bennett.
Other groups who met with Congress during the recess were: Grassroots Organizing from Mexico, Missouri, North Carolina Fair Share, WISDOM from Wisconsin, ABLE from Georgia.  The following groups will soon meet with their legislators: FACE in Hawaii, Sunflower in Kansas, and Tennessee Health Care for America No!
 
See video from the event in Ohio with Senator Sherrod Brown: http://videos.cleveland.com/plain-dealer/2009/04/health_care_forum.html
 
For more information on the health care meetings, please contact Germonique Ulmer at (202) 339-9331 or gulmer@communitychange.org.
 
Immigration Radar
What every immigration reporter should know
 
On May 1st , thousands of immigrants and their allies will take to the streets to support immigrant and worker rights across the country. From Miami to Chicago to Los Angeles advocates will show their support for President Obama’s plan for just and humane immigration reform in 2009.
 
For a complete list of May 1st events, please visit: http://www.anewdayforimmigration.org/
 
May 1st news:
 
In other immigration news:
 
Groups Come to DC, Take Part in Final First 100 Days Push
 
Washington – As President Obama’s first 100 days in office wind down, community organizers from across the country will visit their elected officials one more time as part of the Campaign for Community Values’ 100 Days of Action effort. It’s been 14 weeks of visiting the Hill, using personal stories to drive home why the country needs affordable health care for all, immigration reform and greater worker protections.
 
This week, legislators heard from a self-employed woman whose husband’s health insurance premium recently saw a $500 per month increase, and a woman who fears her undocumented ex-husband will be deported and separated from their two young daughters, and a young woman who works in a restaurant that doesn’t provide her with health coverage or enough compensation to allow her to seek it elsewhere.
 
“There are so many Americans hurting right now because of lack of affordable health care. It’s really a national disgrace,” said Gabe Gonzalez, director of the Center’s Campaign for Community Values. “We have to keep reminding Congress of the people their decisions affect. They need to see the faces of the people who elected them seeking change in the way we handle health care, immigration and workers.  Each of their stories is a powerful weapon for change.”
 
For the complete list of organizations in town this week and the final week, see list at the bottom of this update.
 
Reporters interested in shadowing the community leaders should contact Mary Moreno at (202) 339-9316 or mmoreno@communitychange.org. 
 
 
List of Community Organizations in DC for First 100 Days Congressional Visits:
 
This week, the Campaign brought representatives from the following organizations to DC:
Young Workers United – California
El Centro de Igualdad y Derechos – New Mexico
CAUSA – Oregon
Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC)
Mid Tennessee Jobs with Justice
Maine Women
New Labor – New Jersey
United Valley Interfaith Project (UVIP) – New Hampshire
Korean Resource & Cultural Center – Illinois
ONE Chicago – Illinois
 
The following organizations are coming to DC next week:
Libreria del Pueblo – California
Southwest Organizing Project – New Mexico
Washington Community Action Network
South Dakotans for Health Care Solutions
Emerging ChangeMakers – Alabama
Push Buffalo – New York
Community Voices Heard – New York
Sunflower Community Action – Kansas
 
See what others are saying about our 100 Days of Action:

See highlights from the Campaign for Community Values:
 

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