Jackson Reintroduces Eight Constitutional Amendments

Rep. Stark Takes The Lead On Health Care Amendment

Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr., in addition to introducing his Voting Rights Amendment - which had 54 original co-sponsors and now has a total of 56 co-sponsors - reintroduced eight other amendments last week pertaining to: the right to a public education of equal high quality (H.J. Res. 29) - which had 31 original co-sponsors and now has 32 co-sponsors; the right to health care of equal high quality (H.J. Res. 30) - which had 28 original co-sponsors and now has 30 co-sponsors; equal rights for women (H.J. Res. 31); the right to decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable housing (H.J. Res. 32); the right to a clean, safe, and sustainable environment (H.J. Res. 33); taxing the people of the United States progressively (H.J. Res. 34); the right to full employment and balanced economic growth (H.J. Res. 35); and an amendment to eliminate the Electoral College and elect our President and Vice President through the direct vote of a majority of the American people (H.J. Res. 36).

"H. J. Res. 30 is getting a big boost this Congress because the distinguished Congressman Pete Stark (D-CA-13) has agreed to 'take the bull by the horns' with regard to the health care amendment. As the ranking Democrat of the Subcommittee on Health of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Stark is strongly identified with high quality health care for all Americans and was eager to lead a campaign to add co-sponsors to the bill.

"We are concentrating on building support among members of Congress for three of the nine amendments introduced - the right to vote (H.J. Res. 28), and the right to a public education (H.J. Res. 29) and health care (H.J. Res. 30) of equal high quality.

"I believe most Americans think they either already have some or all of these rights or think they should have these rights in their Constitution - but they don't! So we will continue to educate the American people as to why it is important to put these rights in the Constitution, and continue to build support for them among members of Congress," Jackson concluded.