Has Rep Louise Slaughter taken a specific Health Care position?
Is Louise Slaughter a “medicare for all” advocate? Read on.
With regards to Health Care, we have been fairly tough on Rep Slaughter. As Dean of the WNY Congressional Representatives we expect her to take a firm position. As Chairwomen of the House Rules committee we look to her leadership.
As part of the local health care reform activist community, I’m less interested in elected officials making feel good statements like, “America needs Health Care reform”, or groups holding rallies saying, “we want Health Care reform”. I’m much more interested in definitive statements and actions. Basically, I’m looking for commitment. I want people to advocate for and commit to specifics in a bill.
Now, Rep Slaughter has been difficult to pin down through the Health Care debate. Read this lengthy and fairly accurate dkos post which chronicles the push by local health care reform activists to get an audience with Congresswomen Slaughter and ultimately her commitment on specific Health Care reform. You can also reread this post and rewatch a video of her appearance on Need to Know with WXXI’s Julie Philipp from August. In that post I made the case she was non-committal.
So imagine my surprise when Rep Slaughter posted this up on Dkos. First off, it is a good summary of the various amendments to HR3200. She discusses the Kucinich amendment and the Weiner Amendment. Explanations below, but check out my bold.
The Kucinich Amendment allows states to adopt single payer health care systems for their residents. These plans would replace the federal exchange for those covered, and must meet the minimum standards of the exchange. The Kucinich Amendment was adopted by the Education and Labor Committee by a vote of 27-19.
The Weiner Amendment would substitute H.R. 676 for H.R. 3200. H.R. 676 would institute a single payer health care system to cover all Americans. Health care providers would remain private but would be reimbursed by the government for care provided to participants.
The Weiner Amendment was offered in the Energy and Commerce Committee’s markup, and then withdrawn. Speaker Pelosi and E&C Chair Henry Waxman have pledged to ensure that the Weiner amendment will receive an up or down vote on the House floor. When it does, I fully intend to vote for it.
Does this solidify her “Medicare for All” creds?
Hope so but makes you wonder what took so long. Fully intending to vote for an amendment that substitutes HR 676 for HR3200 is a big step. The next question is where are the statements signing the praises of Medicare for All? Where is her voice on the stump? Where is the the Pressure on our other local Congressman specifically Rep Maffei?
What do you think?
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