In 2017-18, 27 California members of the House of Representatives co-sponsored the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act (HR 676), which was originally introduced in 2003 by John Conyers.
Yet to date, seven of the 27 legislators have failed to co-sponsor its latest iteration, Pramila Jayapal’s Medicare for All Act of 2019 (HR 1384).
The seven include:
- Congressman John Garamendi, 3rd District
- Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, 19th District
- Congresswoman Anna Esho, 18th District
- Congressman Lou Correa, 46th District
- Congressman Brad Sherman, 30th District
- Congressman Harley Rouda, 48th District
- Congressman Gil Cisneros, 39th District
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Healthy California Now, a California coalition that (to date) includes 49 pro-single payer organizations, launched a campaign to urge these seven California congressional members to co-sponsor the new bill.
“Some of the names on this list are surprising, especially John Garamendi’s,” said Andrew McGuire, Executive Director of California OneCare. “For years, Garamendi has stated strong support for Medicare for All.”
In fact, on his website Garamendi claims to strongly support expanding Medicare to All, even as he expresses doubt about a state-based California single-payer system.
In May, 2019, Healthy California Now organizational representatives from coalition affiliates began making personal visits to the selected legislators’ and/or their staffs .
If the personal visits did not result in a commitment to co-sponsor the bill, the coalition planned additional actions to demonstrate to legislators’ that their constituents supported for Medicare for All.
For example, after Congressman Brad Sherman declined to co-sponsor the Medicare for All Act, Healthy California Now organizational members gathered statements of support for the bill from his constituents.
On Thursday, May 30, 2019, Alberto Saavedra, Health Care for All – San Fernando Valley and Lenny Potash, Labor United for Universal Healthcare, visited Sherman’s Van Nuys offices during working hours and taped 23 constituent statements to the front door.
“Change happens in America from the bottom up,” said Saavedra. “People, the bottom, want Medicare for All. We need to make our representatives see that the parade is happening and they can now get in front of it.”
— Georgia Brewer for HEAL California
June 1, 2019
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