Single payer advocates are calling on Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-Washington) to share the draft text of HR 676 with the single payer movement for review and input.

Jayapal is the new lead sponsor of HR 676, which for the past fifteen years was sponsored by former Congressman John Conyers (D-Michigan).

“Some of your public statements recently have caused concern,” the single payer advocates wrote in a letter to Jayapal. “In particular, statements about your desire to align the text with the Senate bill, S 1804, which is inferior to HR 676. Indeed, the Senate Bill is so deficient that many in the single payer movement cannot support it unless it is significantly revised. We want the House Bill to remain strong and fully supported by the entire single payer movement as the gold standard that the Senate must measure up to.”

“We urge you to release a draft copy of the new legislation before the end of the year so people can have input before it is made final,” they wrote. “We are being asked to mobilize support for the new HR 676, but we cannot support a bill we have not seen.”

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“We understand that you are rewriting HR 676 before you introduce it in 2019. It is important to us that HR 676 not be weakened in this process, but be made stronger. We ask that you release a draft of the text of the revised HR 676 so that longtime single payer advocates can read it and share our views with you before the bill is introduced.”

“Transparency matters greatly to us as does getting the policy right. HR 676 must be strong from the outset so that as it goes through the legislative process, we can be sure the final bill will solve the healthcare crisis in the United States.”

“We know you have met with representatives of some groups. Opening up the process will ensure that the best information on expanded and improved Medicare for all is contained in the bill. And, it will ensure that the whole single payer movement is in support of the bill.”