Protecting Medicaid

A Look Back on Our Summer of Advocacy

By Lindsay Bencick | 

Facing the most dangerous threat to America’s health care system in decades, constituents across the country stepped up in a major way. All of those efforts paid off in the early morning hours of July 28, when key GOP votes sunk toxic health care legislation.

The journey to this moment has been a long and arduous one for our network. From our DC office, where we rallied on Capitol Hill to raise awareness, to the Advocacy Teams who organized their communities to coordinate a push against health care reform, to every individual who called, wrote, or lobbied their senators.

It’s been a long journey for FCNL this summer. To celebrate this achievement, we’ve put together a social media wrap-up of the work we and other faith-based organizations have accomplished to end threats to Medicaid and the health care system. This is our story, and our time to celebrate.

Mobilizing for action

As the threat of health care reform loomed over Capitol Hill, our DC office worked to mobilize Advocacy Teams and constituents all over the country.

Of course, advocates in FCNL’s network didn’t need any prompting to get to work. Activism across the country, from protests in major U.S. cities to in-depth discussions at Friends General Conference, created awareness and provoked action.

Power in Numbers

Throughout the summer, FCNL has worked closely with other faith-based advocacy groups. FCNL was one of several organizations that contributed to a full-page ad in the New York Times, urging senators to vote no on the repeal.

Health care policy experts, journalists, and activists took notice. Jack Jenkins of ThinkProgress covered a story on how the “loudest opponents are people of faith” — the faith leaders on the ground.

As tensions heightened the day before the skinny repeal would be voted on, faith leaders, including Diane, visited the Capitol to pray for the senators and for the future of health care.

“23 Hours for 23 Million”

The highlight of the interfaith coalition’s work against health care reform was a 23-hour vigil for the 23 million who would lose coverage with the Senate’s reform plans.

Diane was one of many faith leaders to denounce health care legislation at the vigil.

Throughout the night, despite cold and hunger, the crowd did not waver. Groups representing a wide variety of faiths sang, prayed, and shared stories and encouragement.

FCNL’s Katie Breslin was one of many to hold court at the vigil, giving the Quakers strong representation.

At the closing ceremony later the next day, Rev. William Barber denounced the Senate’s immoral actions. The vigil highlighted the importance of Medicaid to its many recipients and proved that advocates would not stay silent, and would not stop in the mission to oppose unjust reforms.

Unrest on Capitol Hill

Rev. Barber was later arrested in a demonstration of civil disobedience in front of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office. He was one of many demonstrators arrested in the weeks leading up to the crucial votes.

FCNL climate lobbyist Emily Wirzba witnessed these demonstrations for herself.

FCNL made our presence known in the Senate offices, reminding senators to “Love Thy Neighbor” as they cast their votes on the future of health care.

The Final Push

As millions ended the day unsure of whether their health care would still be safe in the morning, FCNL activists were still hard at work. The interfaith health care coalition organized one more service, to pray for and share stories of Medicaid recipients and others vulnerable to reform, a few hundred yards away from the Senate Chamber, where senators were preparing to cast their votes.

Time withered down until votes would be cast that would determine the lives of millions. FCNL made two final pushes to constituents. The first was a general urge to contact senators one last time.

The other was a prophetic call for our Arizona constituents to contact Sen. John McCain’s office. McCain’s vote was enough to push a majority of nays over the top.

This last call to action would change the night’s outcome, and the future of health care.

Celebration and Relief

News broke in the wee hours of the morning that Senators Collins, Murkowski, and McCain had voted against the skinny repeal, garnering praise and thanks from millions of Americans.

The real heroes of the night, of course, were the activists who worked hard to make sure health care reform would not be realized.

Diane was quick to release her own statement thanking those who took action, and thanking the senators who chose people over policy.

FCNL, of course, took part in the celebration unraveling across the nation.

Support in the Senate

In addition to crucial constituent action, advocates protesting damaging health care legislation had allies in the chamber. Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland was an early supporter of FCNL’s efforts.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, and Virginia Senator Tim Kaine showed their support for the health care coalition’s vigil.

New Jersey Senator Cory Booker was a major ally to FCNL. In one of the most meaningful images to come out of our work this summer, Sen. Booker tweeted his support for FCNL and our mission to #LoveThyNeighbor (no exceptions).

We’re Not Done Yet

Make no mistake: although the senators cast the final vote to determine the future of our health care, this victory is first and foremost one for advocates across the country. We did not cave when the future was in doubt, and we did not falter when we were exhausted and discouraged. Millions of Americans stepped up and refused to be silent on detrimental legislation that would have inflicted irreparable damage to rural communities, minorities, women and children, those with pre-existing conditions, the insurance market, and the Medicaid program itself.

FCNL was just one part of the movement to stop reform, and we were honored to participate. There will be threats to health care and Medicaid in the future, initiated by those who place politics over people. However, Americans proved that the power lies in the people. Everyone who took action, no matter in what form, made the difference.

Lindsay Bencick Headshot 2024

Lindsay Bencick
(she/her)

Governance, Community, and Culture Administrative Assistant

Lindsay Bencick joined FCNL in October 2023 as the Governance, Community, and Culture team’s administrative assistant.

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