Health Care Advocates March On Congressional Offices

BANGOR (NEWS CENTER) -- Dozens of people stood outside Senator Olympia Snowe's (R-Maine) office in Bangor Wednesday, expressing support for the president's health care reform proposals.

The group included members from Health Care for America Now, Maine Peoples' Alliance and SEIU Change That Works.

They say it's time for individuals, not insurance companies, to be in charge of their health care.

Messages were also delivered to Congressman Michael Michaud's (D-Maine) office in Lewiston.

In all, the group delivered more than forty thousand written messages to the offices of Maine's congressional delegation.

Senator Snowe's office issued a statement saying the senator is creating biparitsan legislation and welcomes feedback from Mainers. The statement said she will review the letters and petitions and respond.

Here is a copy of the entire statement from Julia Wanzco, Senator Snowe's press secretary:

"As a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over health care, and part of a working group of six committee members including Chairman Baucus and Ranking Member Grassley, meeting constantly to find common ground on health care reform, Senator Snowe is actively involved in crafting bipartisan legislation that will provide access to high-quality, affordable health care coverage. Senator Snowe has emphasized that we must first reform health insurance and, if plans then fail to offer affordable coverage in a state, a safety net plan would be offered without delay. Our office has received thousands of calls and emails voicing varying points of view on health care reform in the last three months alone. Senator Snowe always welcomes feedback from Mainers and will thoroughly review the letters and petitions that were dropped off at the office today and respond. As the health care debate continues to move forward, Senator Snowe will do as she always has and make decisions and advocate for policies and reforms she believes are in the best interest of her constituents, the American people and the nation as a whole."