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Organizing a National Day of Action for Election Security GOVERNMENT & FINANCIAL Hen Not Sing- Paign Waged by Our Corporate Opponents

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Organizing a National Day of Action for Election Security GOVERNMENT & FINANCIAL Hen Not Sing- Paign Waged by Our Corporate Opponents VOL. 39, NO. 6 NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER 2019 NEWS Public Citizen Strengthens Drug Price Bill BY RHODA FENG co-chair U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan Public Citizen. Tens of millions of do better. n September, a bill to lower drug (D-Wis.) and partners from Social people ration their own treatment They have fought despite Iprices made headlines when Security Works and Indivisible. in the United States because of illness. Bloomberg Government pub- The verdict? H.R. 3 is an impor- sky-high prescription drug prices, They have stood up for their lished a leaked summary of H.R. tant move toward bringing relief and many endure crushing debt. loved ones. 3, the U.S. House Democratic lead- to people suffering from drug in- Just a few years ago, the bulk of They are on the cusp of change, ership’s long-awaited signature dustry price gouging. However, it Washington’s power elite, includ- and Public Citizen has led the way. legislation to lower prescription needs to be strengthened if it is to ing most lawmakers, was content For several years, Public Citizen drug prices. make medicine affordable for all. to accept that prescription drug has held monthly organizing Public Citizen wasted no time corporations rip off the American meetings with other nonprofits, in hosting a telephone press Inspiring Better people this way. conducted briefings for congres- conference to discuss the Lower Legislation No more. sional staffers and issued policy Drug Costs Now Act’s benefits If H.R. 3 is an on-ramp to a larger Advocates with Public Citizen analyses. and limitations. Joining Public conversation about drug pricing, and millions of Americans have In 2018 — more than a year Citizen experts on the call were the conversation itself has been raised their voices, organized and before H.R. 3’s introduction — Congressional Progressive Caucus enlarged through the work of demanded that their government see Drug Price, page 10 Organizing a National Day of House Votes Action for Election Security to Ban Forced BY MOLLY KOZLOWSKI Arbitration n 2016, Russian hackers inter- BY DAVID ROSEN Ifered in U.S. elections, under- t was a milestone for justice mining America’s democratic Idecades in the making. On Sept. process and exposing voters to 20, the U.S. House of Representa- disinformation. tives voted 225-186 to pass the Election interference in 2016 Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal was only a preview of what’s Act, or FAIR Act (H.R. 1423), which to come unless Congress acts, bans forced arbitration in con- Public Citizen maintains. That’s sumer, worker, antitrust and civil why it organized a national day rights contexts. of action and press conference in There may be no more blatant September to urge U.S. senators to example of how giant corporations give states the money they need to like Wells Fargo, Equifax, Amazon secure the vote. and Uber rig our economy than The events were a stark forced arbitration: the take-it-or- reminder that voting systems in leave-it, fine print language they states remain vulnerable to inter- insert into consumer, employ- nal and external hackers who ment, online and other contracts might do everything from alter we enter into every day. names and addresses in voter In private arbitration, there is registration databases to change no judge or jury, and the right to appeal is severely limited. Arbitra- votes cast, thereby changing the Public Citizen Texas Director Adrian Shelley addresses organizers assembled outside U.S. Sen. John Cornyn’s (R-Texas) office on Sept. 17 as part of a national day of action see Election Security, page 8 to call for election security. Photo courtesy of Michael Coleman. see Arbitration, page 4 INSIDE REPS. OMAR, PRESSLEY PUSH FOR MEDICARE ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED FOR ALL IN TOWN HALL, page 5 PROTECTING HOUSTON FROM FLOODS AND CHEMICAL DISASTERS, page 7 IN THIS ISSUE GET TO KNOW PUBLIC CITIZEN VOL. 39, NO. 6 • NOV./DEC. 2019 MELINDA ST. LOUIS DEMOCRACY An ongoing series profiling Public Citizen leaders and staffers 1 Organizing a national day of action for election security GOVERNMENT & FINANCIAL hen not sing- paign waged by our corporate opponents. Wing in a band REFORM or writing original What would you say is the most misunderstood 1 House votes to ban songs, Melinda St. idea about Medicare for All? forced arbitration Louis is running St. Louis: The idea that the health care system Public Citizen’s we have today is working and benefiting all HEALTH & SAFETY Medicare for All cam- Americans. The reality is that we can’t afford our 1 Public Citizen strengthens paign. St. Louis grew current, for-profit, fragmented private health drug price bill up in Morgantown, insurance system. We spend more than double 5 Reps. Omar, Pressley push for Medicare for All in town hall W.Va., and Pittsburgh, Pa., and received her on health care per person than any other com- 12 Suing to ban cesium chloride bachelor’s degree at Penn State and her master’s parable country and yet we allow 30,000 peo- dietary supplements degree in public policy at Georgetown University. ple to die needlessly due to lack of health care 12 Americans continue to die as She began her activism in high school when she each year. We absolutely can afford to provide the FDA refuses to act started an Amnesty International chapter after comprehensive health care for everyone in the finding the organization’s table at a U2 concert. United States without spending any more than GLOBALIZATION & TRADE Since then, St. Louis has led multiple campaigns we currently do on health care if we eliminate the 4 Trump’s China trade policy that challenge corporate power and promote profit and waste from our fragmented system. is a mess economic justice and human rights. St. Louis has worked in Washington, D.C., her What sparked your interest in campaigning for LITIGATION entire career, beginning as a regional organizer Medicare for All? 5 Public Citizen backs California with the Campaign for Labor Rights. She then St. Louis: While working as international cam- in court battle over clean car standards went on to work for Witness for Peace, where paigns director for Public Citizen’s Global Trade 11 Workers sue the USDA over she moved up the ranks from policy analyst and Watch, I collaborated with my dear friend Zahara hog line-speed rollback educator to executive director. St. Louis joined Heckscher, who battled advanced breast can- 16 Public Citizen website was Jubilee USA Network as its deputy director in cer. I helped her to get arrested three times in blocked as ‘adult/mature’ 2009 and for two years directed policy analysis, an effort to raise awareness about the Trans- content strategy and advocacy. In June 2011, St. Louis Pacific Partnership’s “death sentence clause” CORPORATE PRESIDENCY became the international campaigns director that would lock in extended monopolies for bio- for Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch, and in logic medicines needed to treat her cancer. She 6 Soft punishments lead to corporate law breaking November 2018 she transitioned to run Public passed away in February 2018, and her strength 7 Corporations make billions Citizen’s Medicare for All campaign. to fight for access to affordable medicines for all from immigration contracts inspired me to take this opportunity to continue What does your day-to-day work consist of? the fight against Big Pharma and build our grass- ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT St. Louis: I work to expand and deepen the coali- roots campaign to guarantee health care to every 7 Protecting Houston from floods tion of organizations that are actively engaged U.S. resident. and chemical disasters in campaigning for Medicare for All. I am work- ing with a team to engage Public Citizen’s mem- You sing in a band. Can you tell us a little bit PUBLIC CITIZEN RECOMMENDS bers and grassroots allies around the country to more about that? 10 'Financial Exposure' urge their members of Congress to co-sponsor St. Louis: I sing in a band with David Arkush, Medicare for All legislation in the U.S. House the managing director of Public Citizen’s Climate OTHER of Representatives and U.S. Senate, and to pass Program. In addition to a repertoire of danceable city and county council resolutions that support covers that we play at weddings, we have started 2 Get to Know Public Citizen Medicare for All. I also craft easy-to-digest mes- writing original music! I also really like writing 3 President’s View sages and educate the public and policymakers political song parodies and chants. 10 Public Citizen in Your State in an effort to counter the misinformation cam- — Compiled by Elizabeth Gonzalez 11 Activist Ally 14 In the Spotlight 15 Public Citizen Crossword 1600 20TH ST. NW, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20009 • (202) 588-1000 • [email protected] • WWW.CITIZEN.ORG Public Citizen is a national non- PRESIDENT profit membership organization Robert Weissman ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS based in Washington, D.C. Since EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT its founding by Ralph Nader in Margrete Strand Rangnes Angela Bradbery, communications director 1971, Public Citizen has fought VICE PRESIDENT OF LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS Rick Claypool, research director for corporate and government Lisa Gilbert accountability to guarantee the Michael Coleman, Texas press officer individual’s right to safe prod- PUBLIC CITIZEN INC. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Rhoda Feng, editor ucts, a healthy environment and workplace, fair trade, and Jason Adkins (chair), Joan Claybrook, Andrew S. Friedman, Melanie Foley, international campaigns director clean and safe energy sources. Public Citizen is active in Danny Goldberg, Jim Hightower, Joy Howell, John Richard, Congress, the courts and government agencies.
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