PHILADELPHIA, June 2, 2008 – State Sen. Vincent Hughes today asked local television viewers to contact their lawmakers to urge them to vote on a proposal that will reduce the number of Pennsylvanians without health insurance.

“This should have been done a long time ago,” Hughes said during a live appearance on FOX television’s “Good Day Philadelphia. “We need to get health care done now.”

The appearance is part of a week-long push to get committee and full Senate action on Senate Bill 1137, which would make health insurance available to an estimated 200,000 Pennsylvanians.

As the Senate returns to session this week, Hughes said he intends to combine public events with legislative tactics to convince colleagues to bring the bill to the floor for a vote.

“We should be able to get this done,” he said.

The bill, also known as Access to Basic Care(ABC), passed the House on March 17 by a vote of 118-81.

             Hughes will hold a 2 p.m. news conference in the Capitol Rotunda tomorrow to outline legislative strategies for getting the bill to the floor for a vote. Other activities are being planned for later in the week.