Congressman Kucinich -
Thanks for posting here last night. I appreciate your acknowledgment of the gains made in many states for single-payer plans, and of that gap between what is happening in the states and at the federal level. I appreciate your sense that now is not the time to reap, but to sow more seeds towards an eventual harvest of HR 676. However, the state single payer plans will benefit greatly from an ERISA waiver like the one you got passed into HR 3200 in Education and Labor.
We need you to testify today and make every effort to get your amendment incorporated into Pelosi's new healthcare bill HR 3962. Please bring your amendment to the 2PM Rules committee meeting today...
Thanks! And
Everyone else: please make phone calls or send a fax to the Rules committee members asking them to support re-inclusion of the Kucinich ERISA-waiver for state single payer plans into the House Healthcare Reform Bill.
If amendments passed in the committee process can just be stripped out of bills at the whim of party leaders our whole process, our whole system of government is a farce. I don't think we are there yet - I think the Rules Committee remains capable of operating independently and consistently, and nothing is settled until the votes are counted there this afternoon. Ask the Rules Committee to defend the work accomplished by other committees, especially Ed/Labor on the Kucinich amendment, and not to bow to pressure and disinformation from lobbyists or even the Speaker.
Ask the Rules committee to hear any single-payer amendments brought by Kucinich, Conyers, Weiner or Welch, or any robust public option amendment brought by Grijalva, and to vote for their getting enough time for real debate and votes on the House floor.
Here are the numbers for all Rules Committee members phones and faxes:
Chair Louise Slaughter Buffalo, NY (202) 225-3615 fax: (202) 225-7822
James P. McGovern Worcester, MA (202) 225-6101 fax: (202) 225-5759
David Dreier Rancho Cucamonga, CA (202) 225-2305 fax: (202) 225-7018
Alcee L. Hastings Fort Lauderdale, FL (202) 225-1313 fax: (202) 225-1171
Lincoln Diaz-Balart Hialeah, FL (202) 225-4211 fax: (202) 225-8576
Doris O. Matsui Sacramento, CA (202) 225-7163 fax: (202) 225-0566
Pete Sessions Richardson, TX (202) 225-2231 fax: (202) 225-5878
Dennis Cardoza Stockton, CA (202) 225-6131 fax: (202) 225-0819
Virginia Foxx Winston-Salem, NC (202) 225-2071 fax: (202) 225-2995
Michael Arcuri Utica, NY (202) 225-3665 fax: (202) 225-1891
Ed Perlmutter Aurora, CO (202) 225-2645 fax: (202)225-5278
Chellie Pingree Portland, ME (202) 225-6116 fax: (202) 225-5590
Jared Polis Boulder, CO (202)225-2161 fax: (202) 226-7840
Contact any friends you have in their districts and get them to call or visit district offices now, too!