Susan Sarandon Protests For Healthcare Outside Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Office

Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon, star of Thelma & Louise and Bull Durham, took part in a protest outside of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez‘s office on July 26.

At the rally calling for “Medicare for All,” Sarandon said she and her fellow progressives are “losing hope” in the lawmaker.

The actress used a megaphone to express her frustration in front of Ocasio-Cortez’s office in the Bronx Congressional district she represents.

“I’m here to say to the ‘Squad,’ and especially AOC, who, you know did make a lot of promises, that we still have faith in you and we would like to see if you have a better plan than we’ve been able to see, please share it,” she said.

The Squad is a group of progressive congresswomen of color. The group is composed of Reps. Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan), Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota) and Ayanna Pressley (D-Massachusetts).

The protest was initiated by the Movement for a People’s Party, which is a progressive organization that was founded after Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential run in 2016.

Neither Sanders nor Ocasio-Cortez is involved with the People’s Party.

The group was protesting to ask Ocasio-Cortez, 31, to persuade President Joe Biden to “declare a pandemic public health emergency and expand Medicare to every American using Section 1881A of the Social Security Act.”

Biden does not support the movement “Medicare for All.” He has fought for other legislative priorities, such as infrastructure, expanding Obamacare and tax credits to help parents lift children out of poverty.

Some left-wing activists believe the best way to help end the COVID-19 pandemic is by granting universal health care.

Over 615,000 people in the United States have died from the virus throughout the pandemic.

The protest was held to call for the immediate approval of Medicare for All. The organization believes that the Democratic Party could achieve this using its control of the presidency and Congress.

Ocasio-Cortez is a co-sponsor of Rep. Pramila Jayapal‘s Medicare for All bill, which was introduced on March 17. No action has been taken to date on the measure.