Single payer health care will come to a vote in the House this fall. Ask your Member of Congress to vote “yes” on the Weiner HR 676 Amendment.

On July 31 in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D, NY) sought to replace Division A of HR 3200 with the text of HR 676, the “U.S. National Health Care Act,” sponsored by Rep. John Conyers. This would effectively transform HR 3200 into single-payer legislation.

Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Elliot Engel (D-NY), Mike Doyle (D-PA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Bobby Rush (D-IL) joined Congressman Weiner in sponsoring the HR 676 amendment.

Representative Weiner and his colleagues spoke eloquently for this single payer amendment. Chairman Waxman, in asking Weiner and the others to withdraw the amendment, promised that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is committed to allow this amendment to be introduced, debated and voted on by the full House this fall.

Weiner and his colleagues agreed to withdraw the amendment in response to the Speaker’s promise. The full 17 minute debate and solution in Waxman’s Committee can be viewed at this link. The video ends with Weiner and Baldwin celebrating the victory with a high five.

http://unionsforsinglepayer.org/videos/2009-07-31-weiner_amendment

The Weiner amendment presents an historic opportunity for Members of Congress to register their support for single-payer national health insurance as the best way to solve the U.S. healthcare crisis. It will most likely come up in the House in late September or October.

Ask your representative to vote “yes” on the Weiner HR 676 Amendment. Call (202) 224-3121 and ask for your congressperson. If your union has endorsed HR 676 let your representative know.

Then call Congressman Weiner (202) 225-6616 and congratulate him for his courage in bringing HR 676, national single payer health care, to the Floor for this historic debate.

You can find out more details and send a letter to your representative here: http://www.pnhp.org/amendment/

Weiner’s bold stand is beginning to make news. His appearance on MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough Show is here:

Part One: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tUmUk-jLDo
Part Two: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toXQGSqIWP8