The left-leaning activist group Citizen Action has launched an online petition urging Congressman Scott Murphy, D-Glens Falls, to vote in favor of a bill to restructure health care.

“In February, during the election, Scott Murphy stood with health activists and declared he would stand for the fundamentals of health care reform,” said Charlie Albanetti, a spokesman for Citizen Action, who sent along the below video of the announcement and said he was “disappointed” when Murphy voted against the House version of the bill in November. A new version of the bill–reconciled with the version that passed the Senate–is expected to be considered by both houses of Congress soon.

“We were significantly disappointed with that vote. we feel he has one last chance to stand up for us as New Yorkers as Americans and as constituents and vote for the final bill that the president supports,” Albanetti said, noting his group rounded up volunteers from around the state to work for Murphy’s special election win over Assemblyman Jim Tedisco, R-Glenville, last year. “It’s a matter of him being on the side of his constituents or on the side of big insurance and business interests in his district.”

Citizen Action has put pressure on Murphy since this summer, when debate over the House bill was in full swing.

Murphy’s spokesman Josh Schwerin said he was waiting to see the final form the bill takes before declaring how he will vote on it.

“Congressman Murphy has worked closely with Citizen Action and applauds their efforts to get more people involved in this critical discussion,” Schwerin said in a statement. “Over the past several months, Congressman Murphy has held dozens of Congress-On-Your-Corners and discussed health care reform with thousands of constituents, medical professionals, and small business owners. He remains committed to working to bring down costs and achieve quality, affordable health care for all Americans.”

On February 21, 2009, Scott Murphy, then candidate to represent New York's 20th Congressional District, joined Rep. Paul Tonko, Citizen Action of New York, and Health Care for America Now, to pledge his support for health care reform.