Victories on the Federal Level

Last week was a historic week all around but especially for our work on passing the FY10 Budget. Now that Congress has passed one of the most progressive budgets in our nation’s history the more challenging work begins with taking those broad priorities in the budget and drafting and passing legislation on health care reform, appropriations, tax equity, clean energy, and education.

Health care reform now becomes the center of attention of the 111th Congress as they plan to advance legislation this summer. The same day that Congress passed the FY10 budget conference report, Senator Brown issued a letter with 15 other Senators calling for the inclusion of a public health insurance plan option in health care reform. A number of the Senators who are supporters of the HCAN principles signed on to the letter, and a number of the Senate HCAN supporters did not. We have learned that the letter is still open for Senators to sign and most of you should have received instructions from HCAN on how to proceed with thanking those Senators who signed on and educating those Senators who did not about the letter; and encouraging their signature

We urge everyone to call their Congressmen and Senators and tell them to support the HCAN principles on health care reform.