HEALTH CARE REFORM SIGNED INTO LA, DE LA CRUZ SUPPORTERS CELEBRATE AND VOW TO KEEP ON WORKING.

With a sense of generational history in the making, President Barack Obama today signed into law a sweeping healthcare overhaul that offers insurance to an estimated 32 million uninsured Americans and provides new guarantees of more secure coverage for all.

Obama, who sought passage of this legislation for more than a year, portrayed it as an achievement on an historic par with the passage of Social Security after the Great Depression and Medicare in the 1960s.

"Today, after almost a century of trying, today, after over a year of debate, today, after all the votes have been tallied, healthcare insurance reform becomes law in the United States of America,'' Obama said at a boisterous bill-signing ceremony attended by Democratic congressional leaders in the East Room of the White House.

“Somewhere, my brother Eric is so happy today,” said De La Cruz. “We have taken a huge step forward as a nation, and it is largely thanks to the efforts of so many people who got involved in making sure our government is litening and working for us. I cannot thank Eric's supporters enough for all that they have done in this fight."

 

HOUSE PASSES HEALTH CARE REFORM IN HISTORIC VOTE;
DE LA CRUZ SUPPORTERS CELEBRATE, VOW TO FINISH THE JOB

In a historic 219-212 vote Sunday night, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the Senate health care reform bill, making it possible for President Barack Obama to soon sign into law the most significant social legislation in decades. After nearly a year of hard fought advocacy, overcoming numerous obstacles along the way, Veronica De La Cruz can finally taste victory in her battle for health care reform in memory of the brother who passed away last July.

“My brother Eric is smiling today,” said De La Cruz from Paris, where she is researching public policy toward health care in the country ranked #1 by the World Health Organization. “Finally, as a country, we have taken a major step forward in improving the lives of millions of Americans, and future generations. I am devastated not to have Eric here with me to celebrate, but I also know that, in a way, he’s always been with me throughout this battle. It wouldn’t have been possible without him.”

Read the full press release (PDF) here or (HTML) here

 

DE LA CRUZ CALLS FOR PASSAGE OF ERIC'S LAW BY ERIC'S BIRTHDAY

As the health care summit concluded to mixed reviews, one takeaway seemed clear. Democratic leadership has indicated it is prepared to move forward wit health care reform, with or without bipartisan support. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) indicated passage would come within "60 days" and procedural rules in Congress would seem to support the idea that the House and Senate will move to vote on a final HCR bill this spring, possibly right around Eric De La Cruz's birthday, April 20th. .

"As hard as we have fought, for Eric and for thousands of others now in the position he was in, it would be fitting if Congress could put a bill before the President by Eric's birthday," noted Veronica De La Cruz, who spent last week meeting with several leaders on Capitol Hill urging them to move forward, one way or another.

Read the full press release (PDF) here

 

DE LA CRUZ VISITS CAPITOL PRIOR TO HEALTH CARE SUMMIT

One day prior to President Obama's Health Care Summit, TV journalist and health care advocate Veronica De La Cruz visited top lawmakers on Capitol Hill in an effort to shore up support for health care reform. It was not her first visit to Congress, but she had the opportunity to meet with several key offices with whom she shared the story of her brother, Eric.

Among De La Cruz's visits was Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who discussed the agenda for the summit as well as his views on subsequent progress toward finishing reform. He also reviewed the petition De La Cruz has organized from supporters to www.ericslaw.com and vowed to ensure Eric's story and his cause would not be lost in the debate as it moves forward.

Read the full press release (PDF) here

 

CHANGE COMES TO THOSE WHO DO NOT GIVE UP

A blog post Veronica De La Cruz

In light of the recent election of a Republican to fill the late Senator Ted Kennedy’s seat, the challenge of passing a sweeping reform bill to overhaul America’s health care system might appear to have gotten a little bit harder. But to those of us who view universal access to affordable health care as our most urgent domestic problem, it WILL NOT change our resolve.  

 According to the World Health Organization, the United States ranks a dismal 37th in quality of health care, far below other large nations (almost all of whom have some form of national health care coverage) and just below Costa Rica. In fact, we drop even lower on the report when it comes to “fairness” and “health level,” where our tolerance of discrimination against those with pre-existing conditions stands out as an embarrassing anomaly compared to other countries.

Read the full press release (PDF) here or view release in HTML here

 

TV JournO De La Cruz THROWS WEIGHT BEHIND COAKLEY'S BID TO KEEP KENNEDY'S SEAT IN CRITICAL MASSACHUSETTS SENATE RACE

Calling Massachusetts voters from New York, TV correspondent Veronica De La Cruz is counting on her supporters to help turn out the vote for Democratic hopeful Martha Coakley and keep hope for health care reform and “Eric’s Law” alive.

After spending a full day calling voters in Massachusetts and encouraging them to show up at the polls on Tuesday to vote for Democratic Senate candidate Martha Coakley, television journalist and former CNN anchor Veronica De La Cruz is leaving nothing to chance in her fight for health care reform. With the Democrats’ 60-vote filibuster-proof bloc hanging in the balance, De La Cruz is fighting harder than ever for what she calls “Eric’s Law,” reform legislation named in honor of her brother, Eric De La Cruz, who passed away July 4, 2009 after he was unable to get adequate private insurance due to a preexisting condition.

Read the full press release (PDF) here or view release in HTML here

 

A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR ERIC: Senate Approves Health Care Bill in Historic Christmas Eve Vote

“After a historic early a.m. vote that cleared another hurdle on the way to making health care reform a reality, television journalist and former CNN anchor Veronica De La Cruz is not letting up. While her campaign to support meaningful reform – what she calls “Eric’s Law” – just got one step closer to success with the Senate’s passage of HR 3950, she acknowledges there are still several challenges in front of those who want real reform," said an article published today.

Read the full press release here

 

HEALTH CARE REFORM PASSES KEY TEST: FLAWED OR NOT, LIKELY TO PASS

“After a long day of acid, partisan debate, Senate Democrats held ranks early Monday in a dead-of-night procedural vote that proved they had locked in the decisive margin needed to pass a far-reaching overhaul of the nation’s health care system," reported the NY Times.

"The roll was called shortly after 1 a.m., with Washington still snowbound after a weekend blizzard, and the Senate voted on party lines to cut off a Republican filibuster of a package of changes to the health care bill by the majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada. The vote was 60 to 40 — a tally that is expected to be repeated four times as further procedural hurdles are cleared in the days ahead, and then once more in a dramatic, if predictable, finale tentatively scheduled for 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve." Read More in the NY Times

 

DROPPING THE MEDICARE BUY-IN...CAN WE SAVE THE PUBLIC OPTION?

“Senate Democratic leaders appeared poised Monday night to abandon efforts to create a government-run insurance safety net in their push for health-care reform, as they attempted to close ranks around a bill they hoped would win the backing of all 60 members of their caucus,” the Washington Post reports.

“Democratic negotiators had already disappointed liberal lawmakers by jettisoning a full-fledged public insurance plan a week earlier. Last night, party leaders conceded that a key portion of the compromise crafted to replace the public option - a proposal letting people as young as 55 to buy into Medicare - also lacked sufficient support from Dem moderates to overcome a likely GOP filibuster." Read More on MSNBC

 

 

POLL: MOST IN U.S. SUPPORT PUBLIC OPTION

American families with insurance pay a hidden tax of roughly $1,000 for the cost of caring for people without insurance. As more Americans become insured, that hidden tax will begin to disappear. In addition, covering everyone will put downward pressure on costs. Bringing younger, healthier people into the system will spread the risk. As more Americans become covered, insurance companies will compete for their business. That will begin to lower costs. And health insurance reform will create stability and security for everyone. If you lose or change jobs you will have the peace of mind of knowing that you will always be able to find an affordable health insurance option for your family.

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