Co-Chairs

Lynn Woolsey

Raul Grijalva

Vice Chairs
Diane Watson
Congressional Progressive Caucus
Keith Ellison
hUp://cpcgrijalv~hous~gov
Sheila Jackson-Lee
Mazie Hirono 83 Strong and Growing: Open to New and Different Ideas
Dennis Kucinich
Donna Edwards
Alan Grayson September 3, 2009
Senate Members
Bernie Sanders
Tom Udall
House Members The Honorable Barack Obama
Neil Abercrombie
Tammy Baldwin President of the United States of America
Xavier Becerra
Earl Blumenauer 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW !.i
i
Robert Brady
Corrine Brown
Washington, D.C.
Michael Capuano
Andre Carson
Donna Christensen
Judy Chu
Dear President Obama:
Yvette Clarke
William "Lacy" Clay
Emanuel Cleaver Thank you for continuing to work with Members of Congress to draft a health
Steve Cohen
John Conyers reform bill that will provide the real health care reform this country needs.
Elijah Cummings
Danny Davis
Peter DeFazio
Rosa DeLauro
We look forward to meeting with you regarding retaining a robust public option in
Sam Farr
Chaka Fattah
any final health reform bill and request that that meeting take place as soon as
Bob Filner
Barney Frank
possible.
Marcia Fudge
Luis Gutierrez
John Hall Public opinion polls continue to show that a majority of Americans want the
Phil Hare
Alcee Hastings choice of a robust public plan and we stand in solidarity with them. We continue
Maurice Hinchey
Michael Honda to support the robust public option that was reported out of the Committees on
Jesse Jackson, Jr.
Eddie Bernice Johnson Ways and Means and Education and Labor and will not vote for a weakened bill
Hank Johnson
Marcy Kaptur
on the House Floor or returning from a Conference with the Senate.
Carolyn Kilpatrick
Barbara Lee
John Lewis
David Loebsack
Any bill that does not provide, at a minimum, a public option built on the
Ben Ray Lujan Medicare provider system and with reimbursement based on Medicare rates-not
Carolyn Maloney
Ed Markey negotiated rates-is unacceptable. A plan with negotiated rates would ensure higher
Eric Massa
Jim McDermott costs for the public plan, and would do nothing to achieve the goal of providing
James McGovern
George Miller choice and competition to keep rates down. The public plan with set rates saves
Gwen Moore
Jim Moran
$75 billion, which could be lost if rates are negotiated with providers. Further, this
Jerrold Nadler
Eleanor Holmes-Norton
public option must be available immediately and must not be contingent upon any
John Olver
Frank Pallone
trigger.
Ed Pastor
Donald Payne
Chellie Pingree Mr. President, the need for reform is urgent. Every day, 14,000 Americans lose
Jared Polis
Charles Rangel their health care coverage. We must have health care reform that will effectively
Laura Richardson
Lucille Roybal-Allard
Bobby Rush
bring down costs and significantly expand access. A health reform bill without a
Linda Sanchez
Jan Schakowsky
robust public option will not achieve the health reform this country so desperately
Jose Serrano
Louise Slaughter needs. We cannot vote for anything less.
Pete Stark
Bennie Thompson
John Tierney
Nydia Velazquez
Maxine Waters
Mel Watt
Henry Waxman
Peter Welch
Contact: progressive@mail.house.gov
We look forward to meeting with you to discuss the importance of your
support for a robust public plan, which we encourage you to reiterate in your
address to the Joint Session of Congress on Wednesday.

Sincerely,

~~
L C. Woolsey

Co-Chair