On June 25, over 10,000 people rallied in Upper Senate Park in Washington, D.C. for health care reform this year. Our message to Congress was clear: We need real health care reform in 2009 and we can’t wait.
VPIRG leads the Vermont state coalition for the national Health Care for America Now (HCAN). Health care advocate, Susan Baker, (picutred left with Sen. Leahy and coalition parnters) was joined by Vermont representatives from AFL-CIO and TrueMajority to attend the rally and lobby our federal delegation. Our Congressmen remain strong in the debate, promoting principles we’ve been fighting for since last July: coverage we can afford, comprehensive benefits we can count on, equal access to health care, and a choice of either a private or a public health insurance plan option. To see video of the day click here.
While Susan was in D.C., VPIRG health care advocate Stefanie Sidortsova held a local press event right here in Vermont. Stefanie was joined by Speaker of the House, Shap Smith, Chair of the Senate Health & Welfare Committee, Doug Racine, and some of the 131 state legislators who recently supported a public health insurance plan option. We commend their leadership on this issue. They recognize that even though Vermont is a national leader in health care reform, we need federal legislation that can take us even further and we need it now.
