An update to our congressional calling campaign, in numbers:

• 50% - the percentage of Congress that has received phone calls about health care (251 Members, to be exact)
• 17 - the number of Members who have officially declared they are on our side for quality, affordable health care for all
• 19 - the number of calls it took for those 17 Members of Congress to declare they are on our side

As of today, these are the Members of Congress who have signed on:

Sen. Barbara Milulski, MD -The first to sign on!
Sen. Tom Harkin, IA
Rep. Mike Ross, AR
Rep. Marion Berry, AR
Rep. Raul Grijalva, AZ
Rep. Henry Waxman, CA
Rep. Jan Schakowsky, IL
Rep. Alcee Hastings, FL
Rep. William Jefferson, LA
Rep. Keith Ellison, MN
Rep. Bill Pascrell, NJ
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, NY
Rep. Brian Higgins, NY
Rep. John Hall, NY
Rep. Adam Smith, WA
Rep. Tammy Baldwin, WI
Rep. Steve Kagen, WI

If you live in these people’s states or districts, you can give them a call and thank them. But the real thanks goes to you.

None of this would be possible without folks calling their elected officials and demanding health care for all. Even though we are setting up in-person meetings with Members of Congress, both in their home states and up on Capitol Hill, they will not listen unless they hear from their constituents. As noted above, a few calls goes a long way - only 19 were needed to get the above 17 Members of Congress to sign on.

Take a few moments and make a few quick calls. And when you’re done, spread the word by telling your friends and family about this campaign.

More Congressional sign-ons are coming, and the more you call, the more people we’ll have on our side for the real fight in 2009.

(also posted at the NOW! blog)