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Media Advisory |
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| For Immediate Release | Contact | Phone |
| Thursday, September 10, 2009 | James Woodson | 732-246-4772 x26 |
Rutgers Students, NJ Health Care Advocates Hold "Let's Get It Done" Rally for National Health Care Reform
Student Advocates Call On Members of Congress to Pass Quality, Affordable Health Care Now
Highland Park, NJ — Today, Thursday, September 10, 2009, the NJ Health Care For America Now (HCAN) Campaign, NJ Citizen Action, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of NJ, Rutgers AAUP-AFT, Radigals, RU-Choice, RU-NAACP, the American Medical Students Association (AMSA), and students from across the Rutgers University-New Brunswick came together to rally and generate student support for health care reform with real affordability for middle class families and the choice of a national public health insurance option — sending a message to Members of Congress that Americans of all ages support quality, affordable health care for all in 2009.
"We want to make sure members of Congress come away with a very clear message — We want health insurance reform now, "said James Woodson, Central Jersey Organizer for New Jersey Citizen Action. "This 'Let's Get It Done' rally — organized for and by Rutgers University students and New Jersey health care advocates — will set the tone for the weeks ahead. Congress must achieve that long overdue guarantee of quality, affordable health care for all. Now is our time."
The rally, held at Brower Commons, in the heart of the Rutgers University-New Brunswick campus included speakers from both student and grassroots organizations, including: NJ Health Care for America Now partners James Woodson, Central Jersey Organizer for NJ Citizen Action, Catherine Stanford, Staff Representative for Rutgers AAUP-AFT, Claire Manning, Public Affairs Coordinator, Planned Parenthood of Central New Jersey, Travis Graham, Vice President, Rutgers University NAACP, Deepa Sannidhi, Regional Director for New York, New Jersey, and Puerto Rico, American Medical Student Association, and Anna Zailik and Shadi Mousavi, Members, Rutgers University Radigals. They were joined by Maretta Short, President, National Organization for Women of NJ (NOW-NJ).
"At the beginning of August, the press paid a lot of attention to an angry minority of people screaming and yelling at members of Congress. That diversion has passed," said Stanford. "It's time to remind our elected officials that the true majority of their constituents don't just want but need comprehensive reform that lowers cost, stops insurance company abuses, and gives everyone the choice between private insurance and a new public health insurance option. Our message to Congress is clear. Get back to work and get it done."
The "Let's Get It Done" rally is one of thousands of events that have taken place nationwide over the past two weeks as legislators head back to Washington, DC after the August Congressional recess. Advocates and activists have held everything from rallies, town halls, and press conferences to phone banks and canvasses in every state and virtually every Congressional district across the country.
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Health Care for America Now — the nation's largest health care campaign — is made up of more than 1,000 organizations representing more than 30 million people nationwide. President Obama and more than 190 Members of Congress support HCAN's principles for health care reform. All across the country, HCAN supporters are organized and mobilized to stress the urgent need for health care reform in 2009 — reform that finally puts our health care needs before insurance company profits.
New Jersey Citizen Action is the State's largest, independent citizen watchdog coalition representing over 60,000 families and over 100 affiliated organizations across the state. NJCA works to expand the rights of individuals and familes and ensure that government official respond to the needs of people, rather than the interests of those with money and power. Through organizing campaigns that promote economic, social, racial and political justice, NJCA encourages the active involvement of New Jersey residents in challenging the public and private institutions and agencies that impact our lives.
NJ Health Care For America Now Partners: 1199 SEIU Health Care Workers East, AFL-CIO NJ, AFSCME Council 1, Alliance for Disabled in Action Inc, BlueWave NJ, Central NJ for Change, CWA District One, CWA Local 1032, Democracia Ahora NJ, Family Voices NJ, Garden State Equality, Grassroots4Change, Health Care for All--NJ, Health Professionals and Allied Employees, Hispanic Directors Association of NJ, Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministries of NJ, Mighty Middlesex Advocates, Monmouth For Change, National Alliance for Filipino Concerns, National Association of Social Workers, NJ Chapter, New Jersey Citizen Action, New Jersey Education Association, New Jersey Region of the Workmen's Circle/Arbiter Ring, New Jersey West Hudson Valley Council Union for Reform Judaism, New Labor, NEXT STEP, North Jersey Grassroots, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of New Jersey Council, SEIU New Jersey State Council, South Jersey Grassroots, Statewide Parent Advocacy Network, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1360, and the Women's Opportunity Center.
