While Democrats in Washington spent last week giving Republicans one last chance to get on board healthcare reform, over one million American voices called on Congress to finish the job.
Now, 5 more Senators publicly stated they will vote for a public option in reconciliation.
DICK DURBIN (IL)
PATTY MURRAY (WA)
JEFF BINGAMAN (NM)
BEN CARDIN (MD)
AMY KLOBUCHAR (MN)
That's from Zero to 30 Senators in less than two weeks. Full statements and what you can do to keep the momentum going after the jump
In the wake of President Obama's "bipartisan" summit last week -- which proved that no Republicans in Congress will vote for health care reform -- White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs claimed the Senate didn't have the votes for a public option in reconciliation.
Thanks to you, we're proving Gibbs wrong. A landslide of Democratic senators are announcing today that they will vote YES for the public health insurance option if it is brought up in "reconciliation."
Here's Talking Points Memo announcing it this morning:
30! Five More Democrats--Including Durbin--Say They Support a Public Option Through Reconciliation
Five leading Democrats--including Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin--have publicly announced that they will vote for a public option if it's offered up during the budget reconciliation process, where legislation can pass with a majority vote.
Join members of Democracy for America, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, and CREDO action and get more Senators on the record right now at www.WhipCongress.com
We are finding out which senators are ready to stand up and be Healthcare Heroes and which senators are Healthcare Villains. True fighters for a public option are going on record now to make sure America knows exactly where they stand.
DICK DURBIN (D-IL):
Durbin Communications Director Joe Shoemaker: "Sen. Durbin has long been a supporter of the public option. I don't know whether the votes exist in the Senate right now, but if the House version of the public option came up for a vote in reconciliation Sen. Durbin would vote yes."
PATTY MURRAY (D-WA):
"I've been consistently supportive of a public option so that Washington's families and businesses have choices in their health care options and so insurance companies are finally forced to compete for the business of the American people. Nothing has changed that support. I don't know whether the votes exist in the Senate right now, but if the public option came up for a vote as we move ahead with reform, including under reconciliation, I would vote yes."
JEFF BINGAMAN (D-NM):
"I have long been a supporter of the public option, and I have voted for it every time it has come before the Senate. I drafted the public option provision in the HELP Committee and co-sponsored the public option amendment in the Finance Committee. If the public option came up for a vote in reconciliation I would vote yes."
Get more Senators on the record right now at www.WhipCongress.com
BEN CARDIN (D-MD):
Cardin spokesperson Sue Walitsky: "Senator Cardin has always been a strong supporter of the public option. As a member of the Budget Committee, he has always considered reconciliation a viable option for passing health care reform. If there is a vote in reconciliation on the House public option, Senator Cardin would vote yes."
AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN):
"I support the House bill version of the public option which is based on negotiated rates, and if that came up for a vote in reconciliation I would vote yes. I do not support a public option based on Medicare rates because it exacerbates geographic disparities that already hurt Minnesota."
These senators deserve praise for embracing the will of the people. Polls show that voters in state after state overwhelmingly want the public option -- and progressives will keep pushing others senators to take a stand until 50 votes are reached.
After you've made your call, you can amp up the pressure even more by sending a clear message to Healthcare Villain Blanche Lincoln.
SEND A MESSAGE WASHINGTON UNDERSTANDS -- SUPPORT BILL HALTER NOW
If you haven't seen MoveOn's great new ad highlighting current momentum and pressuring members of Congress to sign on, check it out now.
The public option is back and we're not going to stop fighting for it until we win. Because when we work together, we're unstoppable.
(Don't like my dairy? Check out ericlewis's dairy here. Evidently, we posted at the same time.)