Today the House Committee on Education and Labor voted 25 to 19 to pass Congressman Dennis Kucinich’s amendment to the health care reform bill. This amendment, if it passes in the full House and Senate, will allow states to create single-payer health care systems if they choose to. 

Last month, on June 23, 2009, at a House Tri-Committee hearing on health care reform, Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) grilled Jacob Hacker of the Berkeley Law Center on Health, Economic, and Family Security on whether or not health care is a human right.  Kucinich asked “What are the models for health care finance that would be consistent with the principle that health care is a human right?” and “Does it meet the test of health care as a human right?” 

For more information on the House Committee on Education and Labor vote click here. To listen to Kucinich’s questions (about minute 58 of part 2) click here.