All over America this April, thousands are mobilizing their members of Congress to pass quality, affordable healthcare for all in 2009. Members of the Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU Healthcare (CIR) have been participating in in-district health care reform events during the Congressional spring recess. Several events took place over the past week in New Jersey, New York and New Mexico.

On Tuesday, small business owners, workers, consumers and leaders in the movement to fix health care packed the room at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Montclair, NJ for a town hall meeting. Attendees shared personal stories of the struggles they face in obtaining good quality, affordable health insurance for themselves, their families and in some cases, their employees. CIR Regional Vice President Dr. Snehal Bhatt and Dr. Michael Nagar, a pathology resident at Robert Wood Johnson, represented CIR at the forum. Other attendees included Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and chair of the Subcommittee on Health, and SEIU New Jersey State Council Director David McCann. Photos of the event here.

In New York, members of the Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU Healthcare (CIR), 1199SEIU and SEIU Local 32BJ joined more than 20 other local and national organizations to discuss healthcare reform with Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY) at a roundtable and press conference on April 13. During the discussion moderated by L. Toni Lewis, M.D., CIR Director, the Senator agreed to support an affordable public health insurance option with comprehensive benefits, access for all including immigrants, and which adopts the House budget reconciliation process to achieve goals in spending.

Read more about the event. Photos here.

In New Mexico on April 9, CIR helped organize a 500-person rally and dance party in support of health care reform at Albuquerque's Tiguex Park. CIR National President Dr. Toni Lewis and Secretary-Treasurer Dr. Elizabeth Burpee both spoke at the event, "Salsa to Save Lives," emphasizing the need for health care reform from a doctor's perspective, healthcare disparities, and the public insurance option. Legislative staff representing the voices of four of the five members of the New Mexico congressional delegation--Sens. Bingman, Udall, and Reps. Heinrich and Lujan--also spoke at the event. Rally participants called members of Congress on their cell phones to support the public option and health care reform.