COURAGE CAMPAIGN CALLS ON SENATOR FEINSTEIN TO LEAD ON HEALTH CARE REFORM

PRESS RELEASE

LOS ANGELES — As President Obama works with Congress to revamp our health care system, Rick Jacobs, founder and chair of the Courage Campaign is calling on Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) to lead on health care reform, like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, instead of simply voicing “concern.”

“Health care reform is at a critical stage in the nation’s capitol. We expect and need a Senator who leads,” said Jacobs. “Instead, Senator Feinstein watches the political winds and counts votes. We can use an abacus to count votes; we need a senator who will change votes.”

Last night, the President went on national television to explain his plan to reform our health care system to the American public.

The President’s plan includes a “public option” for insurance — similar to Medicare — that will cover millions of uninsured people. According to the Wall Street Journal, 76% of Americans support a public option while a New York Times poll shows that 72% support it.

But Sen. Feinstein has not committed to supporting a public option and is now undermining President Obama’s plan, speculating on CNN that the President may not have “the votes right now” to pass a bill and that “there’s a lot of concern in the Democratic caucus” of the Senate.

Understandably, the media interpreted these critical comments — by one of the most powerful members of Congress — as a lack of support for President Obama’s plan when he needs it most.

Senator Feinstein responded yesterday to pressure from the media and organizations including Health Care for America Now and MoveOn.org with a statement that only brought more questions and concerns about her position on the “public option.” 

“With health care reform — and a public option — hanging in the balance, now is the time for Sen. Feinstein to stand with President Obama, stand up for Californians, and stand against health insurance corporations,” added Jacobs. “The Courage Campaign focuses on state issues such as the budget and marriage equality, but what happens federally impacts all of those issues here. By creating a public option, health care costs would drop for both individuals and companies, boosting our economy here and across the nation.”

Today, the Courage Campaign teamed up with CREDO Mobile to ask its members to sign a letter asking Sen. Feinstein to “stand up” for a public option and for President Obama’s plan. The signatures are expected to be delivered to the Senator’s offices in California on Monday.

The letter can be found at the following page and is appended below as well:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/StandUpSenator

Senator Dianne Feinstein,

We, the undersigned, urge you to stop undermining President Obama’s health care reform plan.

We call on you to support patients over profits and advocate for a strong “public option” — similar to Medicare — that will cover millions of Americans.

There is a lot of concern right now that you are not one of the President’s votes on health care reform. Senator Feinstein, we can’t afford not to fix health care this year and we can’t afford to have you undercutting political momentum for reform.

With health care reform — and a public option — hanging in the balance, now is the time for you to stand with President Obama, stand up for Californians, and stand against health insurance corporations.

Sincerely,