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CAMPAIGN: National Health Care Call-In Day: Thousands Mobilize to Urge Congress to Vote Yes Before Recess
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tennesseans tell Rep. Bart Gordon health care reform cannot wait
Tuesday, Jul 28, 2009Contact: Germonique R. Ulmer 202-339-9331;
gulmer@communitychange.org
Nashville, Tenn. –The Tennessee HCAN Coalition, as part of the national Health Care for America Now (HCAN) – the nation’s largest health care campaign – mobilized its members on Tuesday, July 28 to tell Congress to vote yes on H.R. 3200, America’s Affordable Health Choices Act, before the August recess. Constituents are reaching out to say health care reform cannot wait, and Congress should help President Obama pass health care reform that will make quality health care more affordable and give everyone the choice of a public health insurance option.
"This is an historic moment, and we know Rep. Bart Gordon would want to be on the right side of history,” said Deirdre Reed, Tennessee HCAN state coordinator and organizer for the Campaign for Community Change. “When the House health care bill passes, we will be one step closer to achieving quality, affordable health care for everyone this year. Every day Congress postpones is another day families and businesses struggle. Members should stay put in D.C. until they vote ‘yes’ and get the job done.”
Health Care for America Now is particularly concerned that after reform, health care is truly affordable.
While the vast majority of Democratic members of Congress are fighting to make
health care reform affordable for families and businesses, they face opposition
from all the Republicans and a minority of Blue Dog Democrats. Right now, some
Blue Dogs are threatening to make health care more expensive instead of placing
a surcharge on the wealthiest 1% of taxpayers - families who earn more than
$350,000 a year.
“Members of Congress
intent on watering down affordability provisions or diminishing the strength of
the public health insurance option in the House health care bill are clearly not
on our side,” Deepak Bhargava, executive director of the Campaign for Community
Change. “It’s not fair for Republicans and a minority of Blue Dog Democrats to
leave middle class families on their own to purchase insurance that would force
them to pay more than three times what members of Congress pay. Families at all
income levels are struggling to keep up with costs of health care premiums and
out -of- pocket fees. We expect members of Congress to support
regular folks, not protect the interests of insurance companies and the
wealthy.”
Rep. Gordon’s
constituents spent the day leafleting outside public buildings, generating
calls, and delivering hand-written letters to the district office. Health Care for America Now
partners will continue to generate activity throughout the month of August
stressing the urgency of passing legislation that achieves quality, affordable
health care for all in 2009.
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The Campaign for Community Change is the c (4) sister organization of the Center for Community Change working to elevate the issues crucial to low-income, immigrant and communities of color. www.campaignsforcommunities.org
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