[1]National Nurses United



We’re closing the books on 2019 tonight. All of us here have been doing
some reflecting on how far we’ve come (be warned, we’ve been real busy, so
this list is quite the doozy):

A year ago today, the Medicare for All landscape looked nothing like it
does today. But we knew that the people were on our side, that YOU were on
our side, and that a tidal wave was coming.

On February 9, we launched our big Week of Action and held 150 barnstorms
with more than 5,000 attendees in total. And more than 1,300 canvassing
events were planned at those barnstorms — that’s true grassroots power.

[1]Our Week of Action events map

Two weeks later, Rep. Pramila Jayapal introduced H.R. 1384 on February 27.
Thanks to the momentum we built, The Medicare for All Act of 2019 started
with a record number of 108 cosponsors, but we had a lot more work to do.

[2]NNU President Bonnie Castillo and Rep. Pramila Jayapal

We won our first crucial hearing in the House Rules Committee on April 30.
Our dear friend, Ady Barkan — who is dying of ALS — [ [link removed] ]gave an immensely
powerful testimony in favor of Medicare for All.

[4]NNU President Bonnie Castillo and Ady Barkan

That same weekend, hundreds of nurses delivered a giant medicine pill
filled with monopoly money to Congress, demanding they stop following the
whims of Big Pharma lobbyists.

[5]NNU Nurses march through Congress to protest Big Pharma

We also paid a visit to the crooks at the PhRMA headquarters and covered
the front of their building with hundreds of images of people relying on
GoFundMe in order to pay for their life-saving medicine and treatment.

[6]NNU Nurses confront Big Pharma at their own HQ

In May, the House Budget Committee held another hearing. Shortly after, we
added THREE new cosponsors: Reps David Price, Lloyd Doggett, and John
Yarmuth. Our momentum was still building. A month later, our dear friend
Rebecca Wood testified before the House Ways & Means Committee with her
daughter Charlie, too.

[7]Rebecca and Charlie Wood at the House Ways & Means Committee

Then we held our HUGE People’s Assemblies in August. We had 50 events in
the districts of Democrats who had not yet cosponsored the bill, with
1,200 attendees in total. In Brooklyn alone, the 10,000 petition
signatures and hundreds of calls we helped generate along with our
community allies won over Rep. Hakeem Jeffries — one of the most powerful
Democrats in the House — as a cosponsor.

[8]Hundreds of people turned out at our Brooklyn People's Assembly

Ady Barkan — with the help of several of our Nurses — kickstarted his
Uncovered series in September to interview all the Democratic presidential
candidates about America’s health care crisis. It was a big moment.
Together, we held the 2020 field accountable in a way that the mainstream
media has refused to do.

[9]Ady Barkan and Bonnie Castillo filming Ady's Uncovered video series

In November, we wrapped up our year with a rally in Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s
backyard. Hundreds of nurses, activists, and community leaders marched in
San Francisco to demand she allow a House vote on Medicare for All.

[10]Hundreds of nurses protest in Rep. Nancy Pelosi's district

Which was almost immediately followed by National Nurses United endorsing
Bernie Sanders on November 15. (PS - If you want to get more involved in
our Nurses for Bernie organizing work, [ [link removed] ]just click here)

[12]Bernie speaking at our official endorsement rally

Last, but certainly not least, we wrapped up the year by driving hundreds
of calls into Congress demanding that NNU President, Jean Ross, be
included as a witness during the fourth and final health care hearing of
the year. YOU made that happen. And she was able to give a powerful
testimony to the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy & Commerce
Committee as a result.

[13]NNU President Jean Ross testifying at the House Energy & Commerce
Committee

This year has been a WILD ride. We have come so incredibly far and
achieved so much together in such a short amount of time. And even though
you and I both know that our work is far from over, I’m glad we had this
opportunity to look back, reflect, and celebrate everything we’ve done in
2019.

Here’s to an even more powerful 2020. And wishing you all a happy New
Year.

Gratefully,

Jasmine Ruddy
Nurses’ Campaign to Win Medicare for All



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