50 Senators Said They Support The Public Option, So What’s Stopping Them Now?
Here is a list of the 50 current Senators who all are on the record as supporting the Public Option. During the health care debate, many Senators who claimed to support the Public Option were unwilling to take a stand on the issue because they argued that its inclusion could jeopardize the rest of the reform package. Well, the rest of the reform effort is already in the process of implementation as we speak, so those concerns no longer apply.
So what is stopping these 50 Senators from passing the Public Option as a standalone bill in the Senate using Reconciliation, with Joe Biden casting the deciding vote if necessary? The Public Option has already passed the House once, and the president claims to support it, so why are we still waiting for this to get done, especially with the November elections, after which some of these Senators will absolutely be gone? If you are as curious as I am, you can call your Senator and ask if they were serious, or if he or she was full of garbage when they said they supported the Public Option.
With insurance companies raising rates without cause and doing everything they can to wriggle their way out of the new rules and regulations, it’s clear now more than ever that we desperately need the Public Option to hold the insurance companies truly accountable.
Phone Number | Senator | State | Comment |
(202) 224-6361 | Akaka | HI | Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option |
(202) 224-2651 | Baucus | MT | Said reason for voting against on Senate Finance was the need for 60 votes |
(202) 224-5852 | Bennet | CO | Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option |
(202) 224-5521 | Bingaman | NM | Voted for Schumer’s “level playing field” public option on Senate Finance |
(202) 224-3553 | Boxer | CA | Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option |
(202) 224-2351 | Brown | OH | Voted for HELP Committee public option |
(202) 224-2854 | Burris | IL | Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option |
(202) 224-3441 | Cantwell | WA | Voted for Schumer level playing field on Senate Finance |
(202) 224-4524 | Cardin | MD | Voted for Kennedy resolution demanding public option in May |
(202) 224-2441 | Carper | DE | Voted for Schumer’s “level playing field” public option on Senate Finance |
(202) 224-6324 | Casey | PA | Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option |
(202) 224-2823 | Dodd | CT | Voted for HELP Committee public option |
(202) 224-2551 | Dorgan | ND | I do believe that some sort of public option needs to be part of the proposal, along with a focus on bringing down health care costs and prevention. |
(202) 224-2152 | Durbin | IL | Voted for Kennedy resolution demanding public option in May |
(202) 224-5323 | Feingold | WI | Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option |
(202) 224-3841 | Feinstein | CA | Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option |
(202) 224-5641 | Franken | MN | Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option |
(202) 224-4451 | Gillibrand | NY | Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option |
(202) 224-6342 | Hagan | NC | Voted for HELP Committee public option |
(202) 224-3254 | Harkin | IA | Voted for HELP Committee public option |
(202) 224-3934 | Inouye | HI | Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option |
(202) 224-5842 | Johnson | SD | I asked, “What about the bill are you opposed to?” He replied, “That it doesn’t have a robust public option”.a |
(202) 224-5042 | Kaufman | DE | Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option |
(202) 224-2742 | Kerry | MA | Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option |
(202) 224-3244 | Klobuchar | MN | “I would prefer a public option that would be a competitive option that would allow people to buy into a Federal Employee Health Benefits Program, which is a series of private plans.” |
(202) 224-5653 | Kohl | WI | Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option |
(202) 224-3224 | Lautenberg | NJ | Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option |
(202) 224-4242 | Leahy | VT | Voted for Kennedy resolution demanding public option in May |
(202) 224-6221 | Levin | MI | Voted for Kennedy resolution demanding public option in May |
(202) 224-6154 | McCaskill | MO | Voted for Schumer’s level playing field on Senate Finance |
(202) 224-4744 | Menendez | NJ | Voted for Schumer level playing field on Senate Finance |
(202) 224-3753 | Merkley | OR | Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option |
(202) 224-4654 | Mikulski | MD | Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option |
(202) 224-2621 | Murray | WA | Voted for HELP Committee public option |
(202) 224-5274 | Nelson (Bill) | FL | Voted for Schumer’s “level playing field” public option on Senate Finance |
(202) 224-4642 | Reed | RI | Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option |
(202) 224-3542 | Reid | NV | “I’ve told people, whoever will listen, that I am in favor of the public option.” |
(202) 224-6472 | Rockefeller | WV | Voted for Schumer Level Playing Field public option on Senate Finance Committee |
(202) 224-5141 | Sanders | VT | Voted for HELP Committee public option |
(202) 224-6542 | Schumer | NY | Sponsor of Schumer Amendment |
(202) 224-2841 | Shaheen | NH | Voted for Kennedy resolution demanding public option in May |
(202) 224-4254 | Specter | PA | Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option |
(202) 224-4822 | Stabenow | MI | Voted for Schumer’s level playing field on Senate Finance |
(202) 224-2644 | Tester | MT | “We need competition, and if we get a public option that will help Montana. I will support it.” |
(202) 224-5941 | Udall | CO | “I support the President’s plan to include the public option as a tool help reform our broken health care system. But above all, any reform must be done in a deficit-neutral way and must provide choice, stability and security for those who have insurance.” |
(202) 224-6621 | Udall | NM | Voted for Kennedy resolution demanding public option in May |
(202) 224-2023 | Warner | VA | “It’s not a make or break thing–he wants to see a health reform bill that contains costs, and if it includes a public option…he would vote for it.” |
(202) 224-4024 | Webb | VA | Told the Huffington Post he is open to a public health care option. |
(202) 224-2921 | Whitehouse | RI | Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option |
(202) 224-5244 | Wyden | OR |
Signed Oct 8 letter demanding public option |
Copyright 2010 Liberaland
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