May 30th March for Health Care

"Health care reform cannot wait, it must not wait, and it will not wait another year."

-President Barack Obama

NOW is the time for health care reform. Tens of thousands of people die every year in this country because of a lack of health coverage. Countless others struggle under crushing medical debt or suffer through treatable illnesses.

Health care reform won't happen without a grassroots movement.

On May 30th in Seattle, we will answer President Obama's call and send a strong message to everyone in the nation that Washington State is united in the fight for health care reform for ALL in 2009.

And we need you!

Plan to join us on Saturday May 30 at 12:30 in Pratt Park for an action packed afternoon filled with music, speakers and most importantly, the message that health care for all can not wait.

Major marches and rallies have influenced policy makers throughout the history of our country, and now is the time to demonstrate the will of the people and raise the demand for quality, affordable health care for all.

Click HERE for more information on this event. Hope to see you there!

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ACTION ALERT!

Speak Out Against the Syringe Funding Ban!

Last week, President Obama released his Fiscal Year 2010 budget request. Unfortunately, his budget still includes the language that bans the use of federal funding for syringe exchange programs, despite their proven effectiveness in preventing new HIV and hepatitis C infections.

In response, the Community AIDS and Hepatitis Prevention Act of 2009 (HR 179), has been re-introduced in Congress.

This act would eliminate all laws which prevent federal funding from being used by state and local jurisdictions for syringe exchange.

This is a critical time - if we speak up NOW, we can still lift the ban this year!

Urge your US Representative to Co-Sponsor HR 179, the Community AIDS and Hepatitis Prevention Act of 2009!

Click HERE to take action on this issue

What's At Stake?

Each year, approximately 12,000 Americans contract HIV/AIDS and approximately 19,000 Americans contract the hepatitis C virus directly or indirectly from sharing contaminated syringes.

Making clean, sterile syringes available is a simple, cost-effective method of saving lives and providing care to hard-to-reach populations.

But since 1988, there has been a Congressional ban on the use of federal funds for Syringe Exchange Programs nationwide. Last year, Congress lifted the ban that forbid Washington D. C. from using its local tax dollars to support syringe exchange in the city itself.

Now we need the ban lifted on federal funding for the whole nation!

To see the full text of HR 179, please click here.

This action alert brought to you by Lifelong's Communities in Action Network.

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