Mary Shesgreen, a member of the steering committee of Northern Illinois Jobs with Justice, reports that her organization has made a “wholehearted endorsement” of HR 676, Rep. John Conyers’ national single payer health care legislation. Shesgreen said that most of the members of the steering committee have long supported HR 676.

“A single payer program as provided by HR 676 is the only affordable option for universal, comprehensive coverage,” states the resolution passed.

Hale Landes, a member of IBEW Local Union 134 in Chicago who is also on the Jobs with Justice steering committee, said that the resolution for HR 676 was unanimously adopted at a retreat on June 27. Landes is also on the Labor Outreach Committee of the Illinois Single-Payer Coalition.

“We support single payer for all because it is the right thing to do. We at Northern Illinois Jobs with Justice believe that healthcare is a human right,” said a release on behalf of the organization.

Northern Illinois JwJ is the 606th labor organization to endorse HR 676.

In other news, on July 30, 2013, three additional congresspersons signed on to HR 676, bringing the total of co-sponsors in the House to 48. The news ones are Reps. Carolyn B. Maloney (NY- 12), Robert A. Brady (PA-1), and Jose E. Serrano (NY-15).

Your can check the list of HR 676 cosponsors here: http://unionsforsinglepayer.org/ Click on 113th Congress in the left column.