Mary McHugh Speaks out at Town Hall Meeting about Health Care

IAM members were part of the large crowd of almost 1,500 people who showed up for a nationally televised town hall meeting on health care reform sponsored by House Democratic Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. Hoyer’s 5th Congressional District covers much of Southern Maryland and includes the IAM’s Winpisinger Education and Technology Center.

Health care reform opponents have made a practice of disrupting town hall meetings nationwide and union members’ have turned out in increasing numbers to show that most Americans support health care reform.

Crowds lined up early at North Point High School near Waldorf, MD and packed the school’s gymnasium. Amid jeers by the vocal minority in the crowd who ignored meeting rules about interrupting speakers or shouting, Congressman Hoyer outlined the major provisions in the proposed health care legislation that will benefit American families and cleared up some of the distortions being circulated by opponents.

Among the supporters in the crowd were a large contingent of IAM members from the William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center which included members who live in Hoyer’s district and also students attending classes at the harbor who got a first-hand civics lesson in the health care debate.