Washington, D.C. – As Congress prepares to return to work, USAction affiliates and partner organizations are participating in at least 102 rallies and other events in 20 states in support of quality, affordable health care with a public health insurance option.

Events began Aug. 29 and will continue through Sept. 8, the day Congress returns to Washington, D.C.. They are taking place in California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin. The rallies are part of several thousand events taking place nationwide, organized by Health Care for America Now, Organizing for America and others.

“We want to make sure members of Congress hear a very clear message from their constituents before they return to Washington,” explained Alan Charney, USAction program director. “That message is let’s get it done. Let’s pass comprehensive reform that lowers costs, stops insurance company abuses and gives everyone the choice between private insurance and a new public health insurance option.”

Some event highlights:

In Scranton, Pennsylvania, USAction partner Penn Action is working with two local theater groups this Wednesday to stage an 11-hour reading of H.R. 3200, the 1,000-page health care bill, Actors will “liven up” the reading by reading part of the bill in Spanish, pretending to be Star Trek’s William Shatner and adding dramatic or comedic effect when necessary. The event will culminate in a candlelight vigil for health care that evening.

In Bismarck, North Dakota, NDPeople and SEIU are holding a rally and concert featuring five bands this Wednesday.

In Davenport, Iowa Tuesday, members of Iowa Citizen Action Network will help Organizing for America deliver 2,000 Band-Aids symbolizing the need for health care reform to a local congressional district office. The Band-Aids won’t go to waste – they later will be donated to a local clinic.

In Columbus, Ohio Tuesday evening, more than 1,000 people are expected to turn out for a tribute to Senator Kennedy. Speakers include U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, Ohio AFL-CIO President Joe Rugola, SEIU nurse Barb Montgomery, USAction President William McNary, Ohio Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher, Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, U.S. Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy and Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman.

In addition, large rallies were held this past weekend in places as disparate as New York City, Fargo, North Dakota and Orlando, Florida.

More than 300 volunteers from TrueMajority.org, the online arm of USAction, are helping USAction affiliates with turnout by phone banking supporters of health care reform.

USAction is a founder of Health Care for America Now (HCAN), the nation’s largest public health care campaign, and USAction Executive Director Jeff Blum serves as co-chair of HCAN’s steering committee.