Since May 20 seven more US Representatives have signed on to HR 676, national single payer health care sponsored by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI), bringing the total, including Conyers, to 83. The full list is here: http://unionsforsinglepayer.org/ Click on 111th Congress.

Congressman Conyers was able to get the first official single payer congressional hearing in decades. It took place in a House subcommittee on June 10, 2009.

The witnesses included Congressman Conyers, Chair of the Judiciary Committee and chief sponsor of HR 676; Marcia Angell MD, former Editor of the New England Journal of Medicine; Walter Tsou MD, National Board Advisor of PNHP; and Geri Jenkins, Co-President of the CNA/NNOC, plus David Gratzer of The Manhattan Institute who testified against single payer.

Don’t miss the questioning by Representatives Phil Hare and Dennis Kucinich.

CSPAN video with transcript:

http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library/includes/templates/library/flash_popup.php?pID=286942-1&clipStart=&clipStop=

Conyers at 7:50 Jenkins at 22:37 Tsou at 29:15 Angell at 40:24 Hare at 1:11:16 Kucinich at 1:19:32

Congressman Conyers is requesting that there be single payer hearings in every House committee with jurisdiction over health care prior to deciding on health care reform so that the most popular plan can be fully heard and considered.

You can call or fax Committee Chairmen Rangel and Waxman to urge them to hold hearings on single payer health care. If your congressperson is on either committee, you can encourage him or her to speak to the Chairmen in favor of single payer hearings. Rep. Charles Rangel, Chair of Ways and Means, Ph: (202) 225-3625; Fax: (202) 225-2610 Ways and Means Members here: http://waysandmeans.house.gov/members.asp?cong=19

Rep. Henry Waxman, Chair of Energy and Commerce (202) 225-2927 Energy and Commerce Members here: http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=160&Itemid=61