Tell Representative Mark Pocan to #ForceTheVote for #MedicareForAll

https://forcethevote.org/

Healthcare is a human right -- and there is no time more critical than right now, in the middle of a global pandemic, to bring this basic human right, brought to life by Medicare for All, to a floor vote.

We call on Representative Mark Pocan, Co-Chair of both the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, to join Representatives Ilhan Omar, Cori Bush, and Jamaal Bowman in listening to his constituents regarding his vote for Speaker Pelosi in exchange for bringing Medicare for All to a floor vote. During an unprecedented global pandemic, doing so is both politically strategic and the right thing to do. With support for Medicare for All at an all-time high, Representative Pocan and others will be on the right side of history by acting at this critical moment. With 14 million people across the country actually losing their healthcare in the middle of a global pandemic, it is difficult to imagine a more critical time to take on this fight.

Procedurally, here is how the process works:

Speaker Pelosi requires 218 votes to maintain her position. If she falls short, members may submit their vote for any other member. With a Democratic House majority, there is no risk that a Republican will be elected to the position. Given the number required to win the position, a very small sect of the Progressive Caucus, including Representative Pocan, can leverage this moment by withholding their votes in exchange for Speaker Pelosi agreeing to bring Medicare for All to a floor vote.

If our elected leaders do not support the idea of bringing Medicare for All to a vote in the middle of a global pandemic, then their positions should be on the record for their constituents and the public to see. If we value democracy, then we should value this type of transparency. More importantly, if we value human life, then it is critical to know which of our elected leaders are denying people of color and poor and working classes the dignity of having our most basic needs met. With over half of the roughly 30 million people not covered by the ACA being people of color, not leveraging one's power to fight for them when strong leaders are need the most is unconscionable -- and frankly, racist.

We are urging Representative Pocan to do the right thing and withhold his vote for Speaker Pelosi on January 3rd, 2021. Join us in sending a strong message to Representative Pocan that we will not accept anything else. Join our letter campaign NOW.