Portland Jobs with Justice endorses National Health Insurance Act (HR676)

“With people dying everyday because they don’t have health insurance, we need an efficient national healthcare plan that will cover everyone.”” says Dana Welty, Portland Jobs with Justice Healthcare Co-chair and registered nurse of 21 years.

The Portland Chapter of Jobs with Justice unanimously endorsed The United States National Health Insurance Act HR676 also known as “Medicare for All”, cosponsored by 84 Congressional Representatives.

The resolution concludes that "recent state and local level proposals to address the healthcare crisis have fragmented resources and diverted

attention from a comprehensive, permanent national solution." The resolution also supports responsible statewide initiatives that are in line with the principles of “Medicare for All”.

“We are supporting this bill because healthcare is a fundamental human right not a privilege or a commodity,” states Britta T. Duncan, Portland Jobs with Justice Healthcare Co-Chair and parent of a special needs child. “This is national crisis affecting those with health insurance and those who are without health insurance,” said Duncan.

Portland Jobs with Justice pledges to "work with our community partners, affiliated organizations, and other Jobs with Justice Chapters to educate

about and seek endorsements of HR676." The resolution also resolves to continue "to make comprehensive, intelligent reform of the healthcare system a priority..." Portland Jobs with Justice will be developing an educational program about the current healthcare crisis and the National Health Insurance Act (HR676). Members of the Healthcare Committee will be available to present this educational program in early spring 2008.

Portland Jobs with Justice is a coalition of 86 labor organizations and community groups dedicated to protecting the rights of working people and supporting community struggles to build a more just society. There are 40 Jobs with

Justice Chapters nationwide.

For more information about the Portland Jobs with Justice endorsement and resolution of the National Health Insurance Act (HR676) or to schedule a presentation of the educational program on HR676 prepared by Portland Jobs with Justice, please contact Portland Jobs with Justice Healthcare Co-chairs Britta T. Duncan at (503) 866-1607 and Dana Welty (503) 805-0710.

Portland Jobs with Justice
Resolution for HR676 - Single Payer for Universal Health Care

WHEREAS, the healthcare crisis in America continues unabated, as costs increase, access to care decreases, concerns about the quality of care remain unaddressed, 45 million Americans are uninsured, and another 50 million are severely under-insured; and

WHEREAS, the continuing inability to have an effect on this growing crisis threatens to erode the living standards of our members, the social fabric of our communities, and the economic health of our
country; and

WHEREAS, there is ample evidence that a competitive free-market approach to solving America’s healthcare crisis does not lower costs, improve access or guarantee high-quality care and that the primary beneficiaries of such an approach have proven to be pharmaceutical companies,
equipment manufacturers, insurance carriers, and others who reap significant profits from the growing demand for health services; and

WHEREAS, the lack of coordination in the U.S. healthcare system has led not only to higher costs due to waste and duplication but to less effective delivery of care; and

WHEREAS, the fundamental principle of the labor movement – that fragmentation leads to weakness while solidarity leads to strength- is a powerful tool that can be applied to create a consolidated, single-payer American healthcare system; and

WHEREAS, recent state and local level proposals to address the healthcare crisis have fragmented resources and diverted attention from a comprehensive, permanent national solution

WHEREAS, legislation has been introduced that would address all of the above needs: HR676, the United States National Health Insurance Act (also known as “The Expanded and Improved Medicare For All Bill", and “The Conyers Healthcare Bill”); and

WHEREAS, this legislation was introduced by Representatives John Conyers, Dennis Kucinich, Jim McDermott and Donna Christensen and is currently co-sponsored by 87 of Congress’ most progressive
representatives; and

WHEREAS, under HR 676, Medicare would be extended and improved so that all individuals residing in the United States would receive high quality, affordable, and medically necessary services, including primary care, inpatient care, outpatient care, emergency care, prescription drugs, durable medical equipment, long term care, mental health services, dentistry, eye care, chiropractic, and substance abuse treatment by the physicians of their choice, with no restrictions on what providers they could visit; and

WHEREAS, HR676 contains serious and effective provisions for cost containment, and would be funded through a modest payroll tax on all employers of 3.3%, a 5% health tax on the top 5% of income earners, a small tax on stock and bond transfers, by closing corporate tax loop-holes, and by repealing the Bush tax cut for the wealthy; and

WHEREAS, HR676 has been endorsed by many national labor organizations, including the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers(IAMAW), the National Education Association(NEA), the United Auto Workers(UAW), the United Steelworkers Of America(USW), the International Longshore and Warehouse Union(ILWU), and the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC); locally endorsed by AFT local 2277, NALC Branch 82, ILWU Local 5; 26 AFL-CIO state federations including Oregon; several Jobs with Justice
chapters including Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice; and 93 Central Labor Councils

WHEREAS, healthcare is a fundamental human right not a privilege or a commodity, now therefore be it

RESOLVED that Portland Jobs with Justice emphatically affirms its support for national healthcare reform that would provide universal coverage and access to quality healthcare at a reasonable cost; and be it still further

RESOLVED that Portland Jobs with Justice endorses the view that achievement of these goals would be expedited by the establishment of a single-payer system to prevent cost shifting and reduce administrative expenses; and be it still further

RESOLVED that Portland Jobs with Justice join other progressive labor and social justice organizations in endorsing the United States National Health Insurance Act (i.e., HR676 or whatever number is assigned to it by future sessions of Congress); and be it still further

RESOLVED that Portland Jobs with Justice also pledges to support other proposals such as employer mandates, extending eligibility of Medicare and Medicaid, and responsible statewide initiatives that are in line with the principles of HR676; and be it still further

RESOLVED that Portland Jobs with Justice will work with our community partners, affiliated organizations, and other Jobs with Justice chapters to educate about and seek endorsements of HR676; and now be it finally

RESOLVED that Portland Jobs with Justice continue to make comprehensive, intelligent reform of the healthcare system a priority of our organization until such time as our goals are achieved.