June, 12 2009, 12:04pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Bill Goold: 202 -226-4055
Chris Shields: 202-225-5187 (Woolsey)
Natalie Luna: 520-622-6788 (Grijalva)
Progressive Caucus Committed to Opposing Any Health Care Bill Without Robust Public Option
As Moderate House Dems Meet Today to Discuss Health Care Reform; The Largest Caucus Within Democratic Caucus Reiterates Pledge to Oppose Legislation Without Public Option
WASHINGTON
The Co-Chairs of the Congressional Progressive (CPC), Reps. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) and Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ) issued the following statement in response to news reports that the Blue Dog Coalition and the New Democratic Coalition are meeting today to discuss their concerns with including a robust public option in any health reform bill.
Last week, the CPC published a series of principles that the caucus has adopted regarding any public health care option.
"As we have said before, a majority of the members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus will oppose any health care reform legislation that does not include a robust public option that is open to all Americans. As the largest caucus within the Democratic Party, we look forward to working with our colleagues to develop comprehensive legislation that allows all Americans to choose the health care plan that's right for them and their families, we agree with Speaker Pelosi that any bill that does not include a public option will not have the votes to pass on the House floor."
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The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) is made up of nearly 100 members standing up for progressive ideals in Washington and throughout the country. Since 1991, the CPC has advocated for progressive policies that prioritize working Americans over corporate interests, fight economic and social inequality, and advance civil liberties.
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Progressive International (PI) asks and answers this and other questions with an extensive new database published Wednesday that connects the dots in what the leftist group calls the "Reactionary International"—a loose global network of right-wing leaders and organizations working to subvert democratic institutions.
PI calls it an "illicit network undermining democracy around the world."
"Today is a mask-off moment for the Reactionary International and the parties, politicians, judges, journalists, foundations, think tanks, tech platforms, NGOs, activists, financiers, and entrepreneurs that comprise it," PI said.
"After a year of preparation, we finally open the doors to our new research consortium, exposing the global network of reactionary forces that corrode our democracies, destroy our planet, and drive us closer to world war," the group added.
"The twin insurrections at the U.S. Capitol in 2021 and Brasília's Three Powers Plaza in 2023 left no doubt about the international coordination of reactionary forces," PI argued. "Yet far too little is known about the entities of this network, their sources of financing, and their institutional allies operating inside our political systems."
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As Volkswagen workers in Tennessee began voting on whether to join the United Auto Workers, progressive critics on Wednesday continued to call out six Southern GOP governors for jointly saying they "are highly concerned about the unionization campaign driven by misinformation and scare tactics that the UAW has brought into our states."
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What actually threatens American workers?\n\u274c Anti-union, anti-worker propaganda like this\n\ud83d\udcb0 Corps that put profits over people\n\u26d1\ufe0f Safety standards not being met\n\n@GovAbbott & @GovernorKayIvey sound more like corporate lobbyists than governors here. @UAW backs American workers!— (@)
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More Perfect Union told Ivey that "unions only threaten your values if you value denying workers a living wage and good benefits."
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