Support the Kucinich Amendment

When the main House health care reform bill, H.R. 3200, was moving through the Committee on Education and Labor, Representative Dennis Kucinich got an amendment passed with a combination of votes from progressives and states rights oriented conservatives that would enable states pass state-level single payer systems.  The key point is that it would revise regulations known as ERISA that govern workers’ benefits to make them compatible with state payer systems. 

However, Education and Labor was only one of the three “committees of jurisdiction.”  The other two committees amended the original draft in different ways.  Neither of them included the Kucinich Amendment.  The three variants must be “reconciled” to form a single bill. 

The Kucinich Amendment could become part of the final bill, or it could get stripped out.  We need to work to make sure it stays in the final bill. 

ACTION:  Contact your representative and ask him to support keeping the Kucinich Amendment in the final version of H.R. 3200 (contact info below).

TALKING POINTS:
Here are some talking points to consider putting into your own words for a phone call or fax. 

-- Rep. Dennis Kucinich's single-payer amendment to H.R. 3200, America's Affordable Health Choices Act, would allow individual states to adopt single-payer health care systems should they choose to do so.

-- The amendment would waive provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) that might obstruct such action.

-- The Kucinich amendment passed out of the Committee of Education and Labor on July 17 in a bipartisan vote of 27 to 19.

-- States already including California, Colorado, New Mexico, New York and Pennsylvania have strong single-payer bills in their legislatures. 

-- This amendment is being threatened by insurance company and Big Pharma lobbyists. Please help ensure it remains part of any health reform legislation passed in this session of Congress, to protect a state's right to choose a single-payer health financing system.

-- Single-payer systems have truly universal, comprehensive and high-quality care; free choice of doctor and hospital; no out-of-pocket expenses; the elimination of wasteful administrative costs; and the ability to control costs through measures like bulk purchasing.

-- Please let states decide how their health care system can best provide quality care for all by supporting the Kucinich amendment. 

SPECIAL NOTE FOR PEOPLE IN THE 3rd District, EARL BLUMENAUER:

Rep. Blumenauer sits on the Health Subcommittee of the Ways and Means Committee.  Ask him particularly to use his influence as a committee member to support inclusion of the Kucinich Amendment in the final bill.

(These ideas courtesy of Healthcare NOW!) 


CONTACT INFORMATION:

David Wu - 1st District
Washington, DC, Office: 202-225-0855; Fax: 202-225-9497
Portland: 503-326-2901; Toll-free: 800-422-4003;
Fax: 503-326-5066.

Greg Walden - 2nd District
Washington, DC, Office: 202-225-6730; Fax: 202-225-5774
Bend: 541-389-4408; Fax: 541-389-4452
La Grande: 541-624-2400; Fax: 541-624-2402
Medford: 541-776-4646; Fax: 541-779-0204.

Earl Blumenauer - 3rd District
Washington, DC: 202-225-4811; Fax: 202-225-8941
Portland: 503-231-2300; Fax: 503-230-5413.

Peter DeFazio - 4th District
Washington, DC: 202-225-6416; Fax: 202-225-0032
Coos Bay: 541-269-2609
Eugene: 541-465-6732; Toll-free: 800-944-9603
Roseburg: 541-440-3523.

Kurt Schrader - 5th District
Washington, DC: 202-225-5711; Fax: 202-225-5699
Salem: 503-588-9100;
Toll Free: 877-301-KURT (5878); Fax: 503-588-5517.