Polls show that 63% of Americans favored greater government influence over their health care plans if it would lower costs and cover more Americans. However, there are still powerful opponents and interests who want to prevent progress.

"Thousands of faith based leaders and ordinary people across the country are coming together over the next two months to urge our elected representatives to make sure every family and every person in our country has access to affordable, high quality health care," added Gallman.

The Queen of all Saints children's choir sang uplifting songs of faith and devotion to the people in attendance and as they finished their last song, the choir director, Flor Guzman, underscored the fact that the majority of the majority of the children's choir is in danger of losing their health insurance if the Healthy Families program is eliminated as Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed.

"I was born with Kartageners Syndrome a rare disease that has been treated thanks to the Healthy Families program, a program which has basically meant life or death for me," said fifteen year-old Alex Marquez during his testimony, "My parents are hard working people, my father has held two and three jobs at a time and yet still there is no way they could ever pay these medical bills if not for Healthy Families."

Some of the startling data suggests that congress needs to act soon to address the failing existing system of health care. According to the PICO California Health Care Affordability Report, even families who have existing health coverage are opting to hold off on care due to high cost. This is further exacerbated by the rising unemployment in California leaving those who once had employer based coverage without health care. The end result is that the high cost of health care is affecting all aspects of society regardless of status.

"When one part of the body is in pain, the rest of the body feels it," said Fr. Mike Cunningham of Queen of all Saints Church, "We want that to be the message that Washington gets to cover all of us as they discuss this issue."

Congressman George Miller highlighted the work of CCISCO and the PICO National Network for working towards defining an affordability standard that makes sure the 50 million uninsured people in America can get the health insurance they need.

"Our goal--President Obama's goal that he has been working so hard for--is that we finally make sure that every American who seeks and wants health insurance will have it, it will be accessible, and it will be affordable," said Congressman George Miller, "One of the key points that PICO and CCISCO are trying to point out that what it's about--it’s about you organizing--it's about you putting pressure on me and other members of Congress and writing your Senators and telling them that we must have a universal system of care and that it must be accessible, it must be affordable, and it must have a public plan to keep the insurance companies honest."

As Congress draws closer to its conclusion on the health care debate, the pressure is mounting as the message of affordability resonates with the majority of Americans.

"Congressman Miller, we know that there are those who are trying to oppose health care reform, but we are all here to support your efforts and we want you to know one thing: There are more of us than there are of them!" said CCISCO leader Maria Rubio.

California State Senator Mark DeSaulnier committed himself to no cuts to children's health care at the state level and pushed for more checks and balances for private health insurance companies.

"We've told the Governor that cutting Healthy Families and Cal-Works is a non-starter, we need to make sure that everyone continues to get the care they need," said California State Senator Mark DeSaulnier, "Americans can't afford to have this current system, the rates have been rising at a level we can't control."

Congressman Miller also addressed the proposed state cuts, "CCISCO and PICO and all of us worked too hard to expand S-CHIP to allow Governor Schwarzenegger to cut Healthy Families," he told community members as the hall erupted in thunderous applause.

Cheers continued to echo throughout the hall as CCISCO leaders encouraged community members to stay involved by becoming part of a rapid response team to help urge Congress to enact health care reform. At a state level, children stamped their hands with paint in a giant message they will be presenting to Governor Schwarzenegger this Wednesday at the state capitol to remind him of the lives of children that are at stake if their health insurance is cut.

Contra Costa Times - The Rev. Jerry Brown: Affordability standard important to any health care plan

Contra Costa Times - Health Care Reform Takes Center Stage

ABC 7 News Story

Ten percent of the homes in Richmond, California are foreclosed. One in ten. Home values have dropped 70%. The statistics don't prepare you for the reality; on some blocks there are more boarded-up, empty houses than homes – on some, nothing but. Nor does it prepare you for the pain of those victimized by predatory mortgages. CCISCO leader Berenice Ramos has already lost her home, but she's continuing to fight for others in her community.

Berenice and CCISCO are doing amazing work to address the issue, winning an ordinance that fines banks $1,000 per day for poorly maintained properties, and pushing the city and county to pull their money out of banks that are not modifying bad loans.

CCISCO's leaders are real experts on the foreclosure crisis because they deal with its real consequences every day. Yesterday they were able to make a compelling case to officers of the Federal Reserve, one of the main regulators of the banking system. It was the first of ten public meetings that will happen this summer as the result of the commitment Ben Bernanke made when NPA met with him in March. 200 people came, and CCISCO essentially asked for five things:

1. Help pushing lenders to modify bad mortgages;

2. Measures to keep the tenants of foreclosed buildings in their homes;

3. Policies that compel banks to fix their own mess by making quality, stable, affordable credit available to all communities without discrimination;

4. Greater transparency in mortgage lending so that communities and government can better hold lenders accountable for peddling bad financial products;

5. and a follow-up meeting with Ben Bernanke after the conclusion of the ten forums.

The Richmond meeting was a big step toward making the case for systemic changes that will benefit our communities, but moving the Fed will take time. The national campaign should result in local victories, and the biggest win of the day was a commitment from Preston DuFauchard, Commissioner of the California Department of Corporations. CCISCO has won a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures starting July 1, and the Commissioner committed to prosecute banks who do not abide by the moratorium.

The event was also one of 50 assemblies taking place across the country the same day, and was held in partnership with the National Community Reinvestment Coalition and was co-sponsored by California Reinvestment Coalition (CRC), Richmond ACORN, Oakland ACORN, Just Cause Oakland, Oakland Community Organizations, the Community Housing Development Corporation of North Richmond, Neighborhood Housing Services of Richmond and many other community organizations committed to community investment.