February, 26 2019, 11:00pm EDT
Democratic Socialists of America is proud to endorse the Medicare for All Act of 2019
The bill from Rep. Jayapal’s (D-WA) office meets DSA’s five principles for a single-payer system
WASHINGTON
Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is proud to endorse and celebrate Pramila Jayapal's Medicare for All Act of 2019, which was released Wednesday with more than 100 co-sponsors.
We believe this bill represents significant gains in uniting working people around a common goal, and that it is the most significant step to date toward transforming America's broken healthcare system. Medicare for All is an increasingly popular policy proposal and is fast becoming a litmus test among Democratic primary candidates, with support from 70% of Americans, including 52% of Republicans, according to MarketWatch.
"Healthcare is a human right and this bill is the only one in the House to keep insurance executives from standing between patients and caregivers," said DSA National Director Maria Svart. "Half measures won't take the profits out of healthcare. We need real Medicare for All."
Alongside senator Bernie Sanders' senate bill, the Medicare for All Act of 2019 it is the only legislation to meet DSA's five principles for a truly single-payer system. The Medicare for All Act of 2019 would establish a single system that universally and comprehensively covers all US residents. It would cover all medically necessary care, including long-term care services and reproductive health services, without any premiums, deductibles, or copays. The Medicare for All Act of 2019 also provides a jobs program for those affected by the transition.
Democratic Socialists of America is just one of many coalition organizations that campaigned for support for the bill. The Medicare for All campaign operates in more than 100 DSA chapters with thousands of members across the country building congressional support for the bill.
"This is a milestone in the fight for universal healthcare and an equitable society, where working people make the decisions that determine our destiny," said Michael Lighty, Sanders Institute Fellow. "Now our task is to build a mass organization of working people that will not give up until we win."
DSA's Medicare for All campaign is excited to continue efforts to get the bill to the floor for a vote. On February 28, the campaign will continue the popular Nothing Less! speaking tour featuring Michael Lighty, a long-time single-payer champion and Sanders Institute Fellow. Learn more about the tour here.
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has over 55,000 members and 200 local groups (as of November 2018) building working class power while establishing an openly democratic socialist presence in American communities and politics.
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"A majority of Republicans voted against Santos' expulsion. That speaks volumes about the state of the Republican Party," said one observer.
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The U.S. House voted overwhelmingly to expel Republican Rep. George Santos on Friday, ending a brief tenure in Congress that was engulfed by glaring and often bewildering scandals.
Santos—who is facing 23 criminal counts including wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States—left the House chamber before the vote was complete. The final tally was 311-114, with 112 Republicans—including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.)—and two Democrats voting against expulsion.
"Why would I want to stay here? To hell with this place," Santos told reporters following the vote.
Santos, the sixth lawmaker to ever be expelled from the House, flipped New York's 3rd Congressional District seat from Democratic to Republican in the 2022 midterms, but he began facing calls to step aside before he was even sworn in after it became clear that he fabricated aspects of his biography.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Justice Department unsealed a 13-count indictment accusing Santos of money laundering, wire fraud, and theft of public funds, among other charges. Santos pleaded not guilty.
In October, federal prosecutors filed 10 additional charges against Santos, intensifying calls for his resignation or expulsion. Last month, the House Ethics Committee released a report alleging that Santos used campaign funds on credit card bills, gambling, Botox, and luxury shopping.
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Santos' ouster triggers a special election early next year that analysts believe is a toss-up. The New York Timesreported Friday that the race is "expected to be one of the most high-profile and expensive off-year House contests in decades."
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Guterres began his remarks on a positive note, congratulating COP28 President Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber for a day-one agreement to operationalize the long-awaited "loss and damage" fund for developing nations. However, he quickly took a somber tone as he described recent visits to Antarctica and Nepal where he had seen ice and glaciers melt.
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