Bernie Sanders to join Conyers for town hall in Detroit

Sen. Bernie Sanders, the former Democratic presidential candidate, will join U.S. Rep. John Conyers Jr. for a town hall meeting in Detroit next week to discuss healthcare and jobs.

A single-payer health care system is likely to be on the agenda. It was at the core of the Vermont independent’s 2016 campaign, and Conyers, the Detroit Democrat, has introduced Medicare-for-all legislation every Congress since 2003.

This year, Conyers’ bill has the support of a majority of Democrats in Congress for the first time.

Sanders has said he plans to introduce his own single-payer legislation when lawmakers return from break next month. He doesn’t expect it to pass the Republican-controlled Congress, but he wants to force people to talk about it.

“Excuse me: why is the United States the only major country on earth not to guarantee health care to all people? Why are we spending far, far more per capita on health care than any other nation? Why do we pay the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs?” he told NPR last week.

Sanders was in Michigan in January to speak at a rally at Macomb Community College in Warren protesting the possible repeal of the Affordable Care Act and other elements of President Donald Trump’s agenda.

The town hall is planned for 7 p.m. Tuesday at Fellowship Chapel Church, 7707 W. Outer Drive in Detroit. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and admission is “first come, first served.”

Tickets are not required, but RSVPs are strongly encouraged at events.berniesanders.com.