wfn.org | NCC Leaders Urge Obama to Make Health Care a First Priority

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Kinnamon and Aykazian urge Obama to make health care coverage a priority

New York, November 7, 2008 -- The leaders of the National Council of 
Churches have urged President-Elect Barack Obama to make health care 
coverage "a first priority" of his administration.

Pointing out that more than 47 million Americans lack health care 
coverage, NCC President Archbishop Vicken Aykazian and General 
Secretary Dr. Michael Kinnamon noted that with the economic downturn, 
"millions more are finding increases in medical co-payments and 
participation requirements unmanageable or are losing health benefits 
with the loss of employment."

In a letter to Obama sent today, the two leaders expressed the hope 
"that the bright promise of your commitment to quality health care 
for all Americans might be fulfilled."

"Our own long history of health care advocacy and the experiences of 
tens of thousands of our congregations in providing health education 
and direct service programs tell us that a piecemeal system cannot 
meet the needs of our neighbors," the leaders wrote. "We urge you to 
begin as soon as possible to provide leadership to the national 
debate which must surely follow, so that a universal, just and 
sustainable approach to health care may become a hallmark of our 
democracy.  We pledge our own best efforts to engage in such a debate 
and to educate and motivate our more than 45 million constituent 
members to make their views and voices heard as we, together, forge a 
program of health care which leaves no person on the margins of our 
society. As you know, bold and decisive presidential leadership is 
indispensable to success in this crucial matter."

NCC News contact:  Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228, NCCnews@ncccusa.org