Dear Advocate,

This coming week will be critical for preserving healthcare for low-income children, seniors and working adults. The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on a “repeal and replace” healthcare bill on Thursday, March 23.

The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy opposes the current proposal because it:

  • Reduces support for low-income people getting healthcare;
  • Undermines the social safety net;
  • Jeopardizes the state budget.

Faith communities across the nation have supported efforts to expand health care for poor families, not reduce it. The directions proposed are wrong for Virginia and wrong for the nation.

Here are three things you can do:

  1. Call your Representative and urge him/her to oppose Ryan’s healthcare bill. Call the Congressional switchboard (202–224-3121) and ask for your Representative and then leave a simple message.
  2. Pledge to pray on Thursday, the day of the vote. Pledge here
  3. Organize a prayer vigil outside one of the district offices. Here’s a list of offices where we’d love to see (and help promote) prayer vigils:

              Representative Whitman: Mechanicsville, Stafford, Tappahannock

              Representative Garrett: Charlottesville, Danville

              Representative Goodlatte: Harrisonburg, Lynchburg, Roanoke, Staunton

              Representative Brat: Glen Allen, Spotsylvania

              Representative Griffin: Abingdon, Christiansburg, Big Stone Gap

              Representative Comstock: Sterling, Winchester

If you are willing to bring a few people to a prayer vigil, VICPP can promote the vigil to people in the area, provide a sample prayer service and assist with media. Please email Kim this weekend if you can help with this (Kim@virginiainterfaithcenter.org).

Now is the time to act.The Affordable Care Act wasn’t perfect, but it helped millions of poor Americans. We need to improve it, not repeal and replace with something much worse.

You can also visit our website and social media outlets facebook and twitter to help spead the word.

We worked hard last year trying to get Virginia to expand healthcare.  Now we must fight federal changes that would reduce health care for Virginians.

Thank you so much for responding quickly.

Kim Bobo, Executive Director

 

Roberta Oster Healthcare, Uncategorized