[Libs-Or] Fwd: [alacoun] resolution endorsing single payer, universal health care

[Diedre Conkling]

I normally would wait for Suzanne to post this but since I have been talking
about this issue already I thought I would forward this resolution on to
you.  I have known that this resolution was being written for the last week
or so but the Chapter Councilors writing it thought I was too "radical" to
move or second the resolution. ;-)   Anyway, if this resolution passes at
the ALA Council meeting it will give the ALA Washington Office a push
towards being an active voice on health care for us in Congress.

Of course, you can also send a note today to your Senators and
Representatives using the ALA site.  As long as you know your zipcode this
is a quick and easy way to send an email:  http://capwiz.com/ala/home/ .

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Nancy Wilson <readmorenow at comcast.net>
Date: Wed, Jul 1, 2009 at 1:30 PM
Subject: [alacoun] resolution endorsing single payer, universal health care
To: alacoun at ala.org
Cc: Kendall Wiggin <kwiggin at cslib.org>, Lynne Bradley <lbradley at alawash.org>


Fellow Councilors,

I plan to introduce the attached resolution regarding health care at annual
conference.  The resolution reaffirms ALA’s prior stands in support of
single-payer health care, and expresses our support for legislation
currently before Congress.  Senate Bill 703 has been introduced by my
Vermont senator, Bernie Sanders, who was very helpful to libraries in
opposing provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.

The resolution’s wording borrows heavily from the 2006 resolution adopted by
Council.  Although the resolution doesn’t express a new viewpoint for ALA,
it IS important.  By passing it, we lend our political support to Senator
Sanders and Representative Conyers and let them know that we appreciate
their efforts.  And we send a signal to the president that change is
important to the health of our nation’s libraries.  I believe it is critical
that we do this now, when decisions about health care are actually getting
made.

When libraries can’t afford health care coverage for their employees, they
have difficulty recruiting and retaining library workers.  When our towns
and states have to direct more and more dollars to health care costs, they
have less money to fund libraries.  And when our library users face the
stress of bankruptcy due to medical expenses, they have difficulty
exercising their freedom to read and engaging in civic life.   That’s why my
state library association passed a resolution supporting single-payer,
universal health care in 2006.

I hope you’ll support the resolution, and I look forward to hearing any
questions or concerns.  I am copying this message to the  Washington Office
and to the chair of the Committee on Legislation.

Thanks.

Nancy Wilson,

Vermont Chapter Councilor


-- 
Nancy Wilson
Library Director
Lawrence Memorial Library
40 North St
Bristol, VT  05443

*RESOLUTION ENDORSING LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS*

*FOR SINGLE-PAYER, UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE*



WHEREAS,     American Library Association Policy 54.20 (“Comprehensive
Health Care”) states that “ALA recognizes the importance of comprehensive
health care for all Americans and its impact on libraries and their users”;
and



WHEREAS,     The ALA joined the Universal Health Care Action Network (UHCAN)
by resolution on January 18, 2005; and



WHEREAS,     On June 28, 2006, the ALA endorsed a resolution supporting HR
676, “Expanded Medicare for All,” calling for a single-payer, universal
health-care program; and



WHEREAS,     The rapidly rising cost of health-care benefits continues to
inhibit the ability of libraries to create career opportunities for
librarians and library workers, stunts improvements in wages, and thereby
threatens the future of our profession and our libraries; and



WHEREAS,     The rising cost of providing health insurance has placed
enormous burdens on state and local governments, making it increasingly
difficulty for them to adequately fund schools and libraries; and



WHEREAS,     46 million people in the United States have no health
insurance; and



WHEREAS,     Uninsured and underinsured working people often face financial
ruin in the event of a medical emergency, which negatively impacts our
communities; and



WHEREAS,     Without good health, humankind cannot truly exercise
intellectual freedom and civic engagement; and



WHEREAS,     A single-payer program as provided in S. 703 and H.R. 676
offers an affordable opportunity to provide needed universal and
comprehensive health care coverage in the United States; now, therefore, be
it



RESOLVED,    That the American Library Association (ALA):



1.         Reaffirms its support of a single-payer health-care program.



2.         Endorses bills such as S. 703, “American Health Security Act of
2009,” and H. R. 676, “United States National Health Care Act,” which favor
single-payer health care.



3.         Send a copy of this resolution to the President of the United
States and to all U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives.





Mover:  Nancy Wilson, Vermont Chapter Councilor, Embassy Suites,
802-999-8391

Seconder:  Rob Banks, _____________________, ____(hotel here)_______________



*7/1/2009 4:25 PM***





-- 
Diedre Conkling
Lincoln County Library District
P.O. Box 2027
Newport, OR  97365
Work phone & fax:  541-265-3066
Work email:  diedre at beachbooks.org
Home email:  diedre08 at gmail.com
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