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Insurance Abuse Victims Protest U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Involvement in Blocking Health Care Reform
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Day before State of the Union, supporters protest to show what's at stake and demand Congress finish reform right
Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010Contact: Mary Moreno, mmoreno@communitychange.org, 202-339-9316
Washington — More than a dozen families victimized by health insurance abuse joined health care reform supporters in protest at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce building early this afternoon in downtown Washington. Hundreds gathered outside the Chamber building to show their disgust with the Chamber's extensive efforts to fight comprehensive health care reform, including laundering tens of millions of dollars for the health insurance industry.
National Journal reported this month that America’s Health Insurance Plans – the health insurance lobby - funneled between $10 million and $20 million to the Chamber to fund television ads designed to kill health care reform. At the same time, new lobbying disclosure reports show the Chamber spent $123 million on federal lobbying in 2009 and $71.1 million alone in the last three months of the year. In comparison, Roll Call reports the Chamber spent $62.3 million on lobbying for the entirety of 2008.
“The unholy alliance between big health insurance and big business can’t be allowed to win,” said Deepak Bhargava, executive director of the Campaign for Community Change. “For the sake of all those victimized by a system that puts profits over health and for our economy, we must finish health reform right. If the special interests win, all Americans lose.”
The protest urged the President and Congressional leaders to continue fighting for comprehensive health reform that will guarantee affordable coverage to all.
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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