Consumer Advocate Ralph Nader Asks Why the Entire House Congressional Delegation from Connecticut Refuses to Sign HR 676 or Full Medicare for All Legislation

May 4, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

 

Consumer Advocate Ralph Nader Asks Why the Entire House Congressional Delegation from Connecticut Refuses to Sign HR 676 or Full Medicare for All Legislation.

 

Dear Representatives Joe Courtney, Elizabeth Esty, Rosa DeLauro, Jim Himes and John Larson:

There are 109 colleagues of yours who are co-sponsors of HR 676, Congressman John Conyers’ single payer bill in the House that provides full Medicare for all with free choice of doctor and hospital.

Yet not one of you — members of the Connecticut Congressional delegation — has co-sponsored HR 676.

This despite majoritarian support, with a recent Pew poll showing 85% of Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents saying the federal government should be responsible for health care insurance.

Why are you not representing your constituents on this critical reform that, as demonstrated in other countries, is much more efficient, provides much more choice and has better outcomes?

The uniformity of your non-participation in this growing legislative movement sticks out like a sore thumb.

Even colleagues of yours from Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee are co-sponsors.

It would behoove you in your forthcoming town meetings during the Congressional recess next week to discuss the reasons why for so many years you have avoided endorsing HR 676.

I have asked several people in Connecticut, who are your voters, why you have taken your rejectionist stance.

Their responses boil down to one word – Aetna! Surely you don’t believe that, do you?

Or is it another word — Pelosi? Surely you don’t believe that, do you?

Let’s have the explanation come not from third parties or hearsay but straight from each of you — in some detail, please.

The uninsured and underinsured people of Connecticut would be interested in your responses. So would I.

 

Sincerely yours,

Ralph Nader

PO Box 19367

Washington, DC 20036