White House’s Nancy-Ann DeParle to Speak at AARP’s Nationwide Town Hall Meeting
Source: AARP Press Center | 2009-04-07
April 7, 2009
Contact: AARP Media Relations, 202-434-2560, media@aarp.org
WASHINGTON—As part of an aggressive, two-week push for health care reform, AARP will host a national tele-town hall event featuring Nancy-Ann DeParle, Director of the White House Office of Health Reform.
The tele-town hall event, which will launch AARP’s HealthActionNow.org campaign website, is expected to connect more than 100,000 AARP members and activists to listen in and pose questions to DeParle and AARP leaders, including new CEO Barry Rand and Jennie Chin Hansen, AARP’s President.
“AARP is doing what we do best—organizing our 40 million members to keep pushing for affordable health care choices for every American,” said AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond. “The next few weeks will be critical to passing health care reform legislation in 2009, so we are going in big.”
“Health care costs are crushing family, business and government budgets,” said DeParle. “It is crucial that we enact reform this year. The President is committed to working with Congress to enact a health reform proposal that reduces skyrocketing costs; guarantees that people have their choice of doctors, hospitals and health plans; and assures affordable quality health care for all Americans.”
The tele-town hall and HealthActionNow.org launch are key elements of AARP’s bipartisan efforts from coast-to-coast. Highlights include AARP President Jennie Chin Hansen’s participation yesterday at the White House regional health care forum in Los Angeles, as well as upcoming town hall events in New York with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Reps. Joseph Crowley and Anthony Weiner.
In addition to its own activities, AARP is hosting events across the country with other Divided We Fail organizations—Business Roundtable, the National Federation of Independent Business and SEIU. Rep. Gregg Harper joined a Divided We Fail forum in Mississippi yesterday, and Sen. Chuck Grassley will join Divided We Fail leaders for a forum titled “The Cost of Doing Nothing on health Reform” at North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City on April 9.
For more information on AARP’s health reform campaign, visit www.HealthActionNow.org.
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world's largest-circulation magazine with over 34.5 million readers; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP's 40 million members and Americans 50+; AARP Segunda Juventud, the only bilingual U.S. publication dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
