From PNHP
July 15, 2009
Dear Colleagues,
PNHP has learned that as early as this Friday or Monday (July 17 or 20), Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) will introduce, in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, an amendment to the so-called Tri-Committee health care bill. The amendment would replace the private health insurance industry with a single-payer national health insurance program.
In effect, the Weiner amendment would substitute Rep. John Conyers’ (D-Mich.) single-payer bill, H.R. 676, for the proposed Tri-Committee legislation.
The vote on the amendment will take place the same day it is offered – again, most likely this Friday or Monday.
If your representative is a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, please call your congressperson today and ask that he or she support Rep. Weiner’s single-payer amendment. A list of Committee members can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/dhxq65
The Congressional Switchboard can be reached toll-free at 800-473-6711.
If your representative is not a member of the Committee, please call Committee Chair Henry Waxman at 202-225-3976 and ask him to support Weiner’s single-payer amendment.
This important legislative initiative was inspired in part by Rep. Weiner’s meeting with Dr. Quentin Young of PNHP at the time of Dr. Young’s testimony in support of single payer before the House Ways and Means Committee in June. It is also a reflection of the grassroots demand that single payer be on the table in Congress.
Please call today.
Cordially,
Ida Hellander, M.D.
Executive Director
Mark Almberg
Communications Director