AFT’s Weingarten Lauds Citizen Action of Wisconsin Launch

WASHINGTON—On Thursday, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten released the following statement regarding the launch of Citizen Action of Wisconsin, a new issue-focused coalition of individuals and organizations committed to achieving social, economic and environmental justice:

“The launch of Citizen Action of Wisconsin, the grass-roots coalition organizing in Wisconsin to protect and improve access to affordable healthcare, stands in stark contrast to what Paul Ryan, Donald Trump and the Senate GOP leadership are doing to healthcare—first, passing a House bill that even the president now calls ‘mean,’ and, now, crafting a bill in the Senate behind closed doors that will strip millions of Americans of their healthcare in order to give tax cuts to the wealthy. 

“Citizen Action is taking a far different approach, one that respects the will of the people, launching a 60-day drive of face-to-face conversations with community members whose coverage under the Affordable Care Act would be compromised if the GOP repeal bill becomes law. This is the way things should be done: soliciting ideas through an inclusive, transparent, grass-roots-driven process. Republicans in the Senate could learn a lot from our friends at Citizen Action of Wisconsin.”

Candice Owley, president of the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, added the following statement on the launch:

“Our fight for high-quality, affordable healthcare didn’t begin with Obamacare and it won’t end with any version of Trumpcare. We’ve partnered with Citizen Action to create an alternative, a ‘Healthcare for All’ Co-op. This partnership brings together the voices of doctors, nurses, healthcare professionals and patients to transform our healthcare system. We know from the work our members do inside our communities that individuals want their voices to be heard, not shut out. Lawmakers should work together with those most severely affected by healthcare reform, to help fix what’s broken but also maintain the benefits the ACA has afforded them. Working behind closed doors in Washington is not the answer. Together, we can build a better healthcare system—one that is centered on providing high-quality care, not on turning profits. Every responsible legislator in the country who shares the vision of affordable healthcare should join our movement.”