April, 22 2009, 03:30pm EDT
Vermont Labor Leaders Welcome Introduction of Single-Payer Healthcare Bill by Senator Sanders
WASHINGTON
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders' recent introduction of a single-payer healthcare reform bill in the U. S. Senate has drawn praise from Vermont labor leaders. "At a time when incredible pressure is being brought to bear on our representatives to support reform proposals that do little more than bail out the private insurance companies, Senator Sanders has taken his place among those of us who believe that healthcare should be a birthright of all Americans. We applaud his principled leadership," said Traven Leyson, President of the Washington/Orange/Lamoille Counties Central Labor Council.
The Bill, the "American Health Security Act of 2009," Senate Bill 703, is the first piece of single-payer legislation introduced in the Senate since the 2002 death of Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone. Under its provisions, patients could seek care from a doctor or hospital of their choice under a federally funded plan administered by the states. Unlike reform proposals being floated by Senators Baucus and Kennedy, S. 703 would eliminate the role of private health insurance companies in healthcare delivery, producing administrative savings in excess of $400 billion per year.
"So long as we remain dependent on private insurance companies," said Senator Sanders, we're never going to have quality, cost effective healthcare for all Americans." S. 703 would also provide resources to train additional primary care physicians and fully fund community health centers, which many rural Vermont residents depend upon.
"Healthcare costs are the biggest source of contention in contract negotiations these days," remarked Amalgamated Lithographers/ IBT Local One Vice President Dan Brush. "We can no longer solve this problem at the bargaining table. Senator Sanders' proposal will help restore the competitiveness of American industry while guaranteeing healthcare for all Americans."
"The Sanders Bill would provide a great economic stimulus for working people," adds Damon Hall of Ironworkers Local 7. "Since the start of this economic crisis, over half a million workers per month have been losing their employer-provided health insurance."
"The Vermont AFL-CIO is one of 39 state labor federations that have long supported HR 676 (the House of Representatives' version of single payer healthcare reform)," said Lindol Atkins, President of the Vermont AFL-CIO. "We are proud that Senator Sanders is standing up for the people of Vermont and the whole nation by taking the lead in introducing this Bill into the Senate."
Atkins also serves on the National Advisory Board of the Labor Campaign for Single Payer and has supported efforts to lobby both houses of Congress and the Obama administration to enact comprehensive healthcare reform. "We intend to ask Senator Leahy to co-sponsor this vital piece of legislation," he added.
Vermont labor leaders are gearing up for a statewide rally for Healthcare As A Human Right at 12:00 noon on Friday, May 1 at the Vermont Statehouse. The event is being coordinated by the Vermont Workers Center-Jobs with Justice and has been endorsed by over 90 organizations in the state. More information is available at: https://www.workerscenter.org/healthcare .
The primary purpose of the Labor Campaign for Single-Payer Health Care is to increase grassroots labor support for H.R. 676 as an essential element in winning the support of Congress to enact the National Health Care Act "Medicare for All" as the public policy of this country because we believe that health care is a human right.
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U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday announced that he is commuting the sentences of nearly 1,500 Americans and pardoning 39 people convicted of nonviolent crimes, a move the White House described as "the largest single-day grant of clemency in modern history."
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According to a White House fact sheet, those who received commutations "have been serving their sentences at home for at least one year under the Covid-era CARES Act," a law that extended the amount of time in which people could be placed in home confinement to reduce the spread of the virus in prisons.
The White House did not name those who received pardons or commutations but said the list includes a "decorated military veteran," a "nurse who has led emergency response for several natural disasters," and "an addiction counselor who volunteers his time to help young people find their purpose."
The Biden Justice Department paused federal executions in 2021, but President-elect Donald Trump pledged on the campaign trail to expand the use of the death penalty and is expected to allow the executions of the 40 men on death row to take place if they're still there when he takes office next month.
In a statement on Thursday, Biden said that he has "the great privilege of extending mercy to people who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation, restoring opportunity for Americans to participate in daily life and contribute to their communities, and taking steps to remove sentencing disparities for non-violent offenders, especially those convicted of drug offenses."
"That is why, today, I am pardoning 39 people who have shown successful rehabilitation and have shown commitment to making their communities stronger and safer," the president said. "I am also commuting the sentences of nearly 1,500 people who are serving long prison sentences—many of whom would receive lower sentences if charged under today’s laws, policies, and practices. These commutation recipients, who were placed on home confinement during the Covid pandemic, have successfully reintegrated into their families and communities and have shown that they deserve a second chance."
Biden, who campaigned on ending the death penalty at the federal level, vowed to "take more steps in the weeks ahead" as his administration reviews clemency petitions, leaving open the possibility of commutations for death row prisoners.
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Reps. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), co-chairs and co-founders of the Defense Spending Reduction Caucus, said in a joint statement, "Time and time again, Congress seems to be able to find the funds necessary to line the pockets of defense contractors while neglecting the problems everyday Americans face here at home."
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Several of the 124 House Democrats who voted against the NDAA cited those "culture war" policies, in addition to concerns about how the Pentagon spends massive amounts of money that could go toward improving lives across the country.
"Once again, Congress has passed a massive military authorization bill that prioritizes endless military spending over the critical needs of American families. This year's NDAA designates $900 billion for military spending," said Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), noting the audit failures. "While I recognize the long-overdue 14.5% raise for our lowest-ranking enlisted personnel is important, this bill remains flawed. The bloated military budget continues to take away crucial funding from programs that could help millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet."
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