The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact: Mike Hersh, PDA Communications Director,mike@pdamerica.org,Alan Minksy, PDA Executive Director:,alan@pdamerica.org

Today Is National Call-In Day for Single-Payer Healthcare

PDA Members Join Others in Taking to the Phones to Get Congress’s Ear for HR 676

WASHINGTON

With the motto "Give America a Gift: One Nation, One Plan," Progressive Democrats of America
today is taking to the phones along with other groups to call all U.S.
representatives and senators and encourage their support for HR 676,
The National Health Insurance Act, by Rep. John Conyers (D-MI).

"We're taking action in concert with a broad range of other groups to
let Congress know that there is public support for a single-payer
health plan as the only way to achieve truly affordable, quality
healthcare for all Americans," said Tim Carpenter, PDA's executive
director.

PDA members across the nation are calling the district offices of their
representatives and senators, thanking those who co-sponsored HR 676 in
the last Congress and urging the rest to sign on as co-sponsors when it
is re-introduced in the new Congress that will convene in January.

The callers are also contacting the office of Sen. Edward Kennedy
(D-MA), who is leading the effort in the Senate to draft a national
health plan. Kennedy is being urged to use the single-payer model for
his plan, rather than the so-called Massachusetts model, which has
proved expensive and has left thousands without healthcare in that
state.

Also participating in the national call-in day are California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, Healthcare-NOW!, and Physicians for a National Health Plan, among others.

A second call-in day, to the Washington offices of all representatives
and senators, is slated for Jan. 15.

Progressive Democrats of America was founded in 2004 to transform the Democratic Party and U.S. politics by working inside and outside of the party by working to elect empowered progressives and by building the progressive movement in solidarity with with peace, justice, civil rights, environmental, and other reform efforts. For more information about PDA, please see PDAmerica.org.