Today, Congressman Paul Tonko and Congressional Candidate Scott Murphy signed onto the Health Care for America Now principles at the Whitney Young Community Health Center in the Arbor Hill neighborhood of Albany. See video and release below.
Click here to watch the video.
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| For Immediate Release: February 21, 2009 |
For More Information: Kathleen Campbell, 518.465.4600 x 115 518.221.8583 (c) |
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Health Care Activists Thank Congressman Tonko and Congressional Candidate Scott Murphy For Commitment to Health Care for America Now !
Albany, New York — This morning, Congressman Paul Tonko and Congressional candidate Scott Murphy joined local activists and supporters of Health Care for America Now (HCAN) at the Whitney Young Community Health Center where they signed on to the campaign to win quality, affordable health care for all in 2009. They also used this event to announce their commitment to propel comprehensive health care reform to the top of the Congressional agenda this year.
Tonko and Murphy were joined by representatives from Citizen Action of NY, United Auto Workers, Communication Workers of America, NY for Fiscal Fairness, NY StateWide Senior Action Council, Women Against War, and several Albany and NY representatives, including, Senator Neil Breslin, Assemblyman Jack McEneny, Albany Common Council President Shawn Morris, Albany Common Council Members Barbara Smith, Corey Ellis, Dominic Calsolaro, and Cathy Fahey. Ken Zalewski, Troy City Councilman, was also on hand to show his support.
Congressman Tonko formally joined 183 other Members of Congress and President Obama in endorsing the Health Care for America Now principles for reform and recognizing the urgency of broad, comprehensive health care reform in 2009.
“I am proud to join the Health Care for America Now campaign in supporting President Obama in his determination to win quality, affordable health care for all this year,” said Congressman Tonko. “The health care provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act are a good first step, but in order to truly get New York and the nation back on track we need comprehensive, national health care reform, and we need it now. Current health care costs are unsustainable, and we just cannot afford to wait anymore.”
“I look forward to the opportunity to work with Health Care for America Now for the people of New York in achieving quality, affordable health care we all can count on in 2009. I know there are special interests profiting off our current broken health care system, and they are going to fight vigorously to oppose change. I am ready to represent you and stand up to them in Washington,” said Scott Murphy, Congressional candidate from Glen Falls, NY.
Communication Workers of America also joined the group in praising Tonko and Murphy: “I am glad to be here with my fellow Capital District progressive colleagues who, along with Congressman Tonko and Congressional candidate, Scott Murphy, believe that fixing our health care system is a key component of addressing our nation’s economic crisis. Our new President, Barack Obama, has said that “we can’t afford not to: Because in order to fix our economic crisis, and rebuild our middle class, we need to fix our health care system too,” said Kevin Eitzmann, CWA Local 1118, Vice-President.
Justin Cunningham, who is the Executive Director of NY StateWide Senior Action Council, had this to say: “On behalf of our membership across NY State I would like to commend Congressman Tonko and Scott Murphy for signing on to HCAN’s statement of principles, which supports a guarantee of quality, affordable health care for all.”
Barbara Spring, who represented Women Against War at the event noted “that $12 billion per month is spent to sustain the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, plus the cost in human life of those killed, wounded and traumatized. An increase of 17,000 more troops in Afghanistan will add another $1.5 billion to the monthly price tag.” She also praised Representative Paul Tonko and Congressional candidate Scott Murphy for championing real health care reform in 2009.
HCAN is an unprecedented coalition of major organizations, including labor unions, community groups, women’s groups, doctors, nurses, small businesses, and leading netroots activists. Since last year, HCAN and its supporters have been urging members of Congress to take a position in favor of HCAN’s statement of principles, which supports a guarantee of quality, affordable health care for all, along with a choice of public or private insurance plans.