Health Care Advocates Hold Roundtable Discussion with former Congressman Mark Schauer; Rally Outside Congressman Fred Upton’s Office
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Michigan Families for Economic Prosperity
October 11, 2018
Contact: Hugh Madden, 734-250-2070, hugh@progressmichigan.org
Health Care Advocates Hold Roundtable Discussion with former Congressman Mark Schauer; Rally Outside Congressman Fred Upton’s Office
Congressman Upton fails to hold town hall for nearly a decade, residents hold their own meeting with former member of Congress
KALAMAZOO — Residents of the 6th Congressional District frustrated by Congressman Fred Upton’s actions to strip protections for people with pre-existing conditions, his vote for tax giveaways to the rich and his refusal to hold town halls, held their own roundtable discussion with former member of Congress Mark Schauer.
“As a member of Congress who voted to make health care a right for those with pre-existing conditions, it’s both comforting to know my work in Congress has had such an impact and disheartening to know our Congressman is working to leave those with prior illnesses without access to care,” said Mark Schauer, former member of Congress. “As a member of Congress, I held town halls knowing there would be constituents who were going to yell in my face, but I held them anyway. Upton’s refusal to meet with his constituents is proof he’s not up to the task of representing us any longer.”
The roundtable discussion focused on Upton’s revival of the bill to repeal health care in May of last year. Residents who would lose coverage themselves or know a loved one who would be impacted spoke to Schauer about their fears.
“My husband was a firefighter and has a pre-existing condition because of it. He worked hard to help others and deserves the basic protections afforded to him by law,” said Kim Jorgensen Gane, from St. Joseph. “Congressman Upton lost my support when he turned his back on my family.”
After the roundtable, residents rallied outside Congressman Upton’s office to demand he hold a town hall in the district and explain his actions on health care. However, Congressman Upton’s office was closed early once again showing his commitment to constituents lacking.
“So much has changed since February of 2010. One Direction was just a group of guys on X Factor, Katy Perry’s California Gurls was a hit song and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was in theatres. Last time he held a town hall I was playing youth league baseball and now I’m in college and he still hasn’t held one,” said Henry Thiry, a student at Western Michigan. “The biggest change, however, has been Fred Upton. He used to be a moderate voice for our community but now he’s a D.C. insider serving as a rubber stamp for Trump. We’re here to demand a town hall and let Congressman Upton know he’s lost our support.”
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