FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 2018
Contact: Emily Phelps | press@indivisible.org
Washington, DC—Tonight, the Indivisible Project’s State & Local Policy Manager Jiggy Athilingam released the following statement in response to the Virginia Senate’s delay in voting to expand Medicaid:
“We are severely disappointed that Virginia’s Republican Senators once again punted on a decision that affects the lives of hundreds of thousands of Virginians. Despite leadership in both chambers of the General Assembly reaching a compromise to expand Medicaid, the Senate refused to discuss and vote on a budget proposal today.
“Eleven people in Virginia die from lack of access to health care every single week. Virginians are looking to their senators to do their jobs. This has already dragged on for over two months past the end of the regular session.”
Earlier today, a coalition of Indivisible groups and partner organizations convened at the capitol for the fourth time this session in support of Medicaid expansion. Virginia’s Indivisible groups have been active in the fight to expand Medicaid, ever since November’s election, when their work on the campaign trail contributed to the unprecedented “blue wave” election that nearly led to a Democratic majority.
The Indivisible Project’s State and Local Policy program has been supporting them in their efforts. The Indivisible Project also collaborated with Data for Progress and Civis Analytics on a polling and analysis project that showed that Medicaid expansion is popular in every single state legislative district.
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About the Indivisible Project
The Indivisible Project is a registered 501(c)(4) nonprofit. Our mission is to cultivate and lift up a grassroots movement of local groups to defeat the Trump agenda, elect progressive leaders, and realize bold progressive policies. Across the nation, thousands of local groups are using the Indivisible Guide to hold their members of Congress accountable. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.