By Francis Scarcella
SUNBURY — About 20 or so Valley residents, some with employer-provided health care, some not, rallied in the city Tuesday afternoon to urge U.S. Rep. Chris Carney to support the national health care overhaul spearheaded by President Obama.
The demonstrators at Front and Market Street urged Carney, D-10, of Dimock, to avoid pressure from lobbyists for large insurance companies and to back the legislation when it comes to a congressional floor vote, perhaps late this week.
The group held signs and shouted to passing motorists to "honk" if they backed health care reform.
As some drivers blew their horns, David Young, of Lewisburg, said he has health coverage and wants to support Americans who don't.
"It is my responsibility to all Americans who don't have health care to help them get it," he said. "I spend time in Canada (where the government provides coverage) and I made sure I went out to speak to many different people and they told me they were very satisfied with their health care and wouldn't change it."
His decision will be based on his review of the language of the bill, Carney said.
"I will judge the final proposal based on whether it increases affordability, denies insurers the option of rejecting people with pre-existing conditions and enables people to take their insurance with them when they change jobs," Carney said in a statement Tuesday.
Carney should do what the people want, said Nancy Crook, of Lewisburg.
"I would tell the congressman to do what the people of the 10th District voted him in to do," she said. "Follow his instincts and vote yes because we need reform."
Michele Kittell, of Lewisburg, said that she believes Carney will do what is right.
"I just want to tell him to vote yes and support health care reform," she said. "I work for a company that can't afford to give us health care, so I have to pay for it myself and it is expensive so I want this bill passed."
If the bill is rejected by Congress, supporters said they wouldn't understand why.
"It's not a strong bill, but enough of the people realize that something has to be done," Young said. "Stand up for the people of the 10th District."
Barbara Johns, of Sunbury, agreed.
"We are here because we want to tell Congressman Carney to vote yes, just like we did when we said yes to voting for him," Johns said. "Even though I have health care, I care about the people that don't. So should the Congress."
Jane Moore, of Northumberland, said she understands that many people aren't as lucky as she is to have coverage, but that she can be uninsured at any time.
"Even though I have it, I care about the people that don't and I know I am only a paycheck away from losing it at any time," she said. "We have to solve the problem."
Carney said he understands the horrific thought of not having or losing coverage.
"As a cancer survivor, I was fortunate not to have been kicked off my health insurance plan because of my so-called pre-existing condition," he said. "But countless others throughout our region don't have that assurance and we must resolve that problem, give families the choices they have been badly lacking and bring affordability into a system that has run out of control."
n E-mail comments to fscarcella@dailyitem.com
