Sen. Tom Daschle withdrew his nomination today for Secretary of Health and Human Services. In a statement released by the White House, Sen. Daschle stated:

"If 30 years of exposure to the challenges inherent in our system has taught me anything, it has taught me that this work will require a leader who can operate with the full faith of Congress and the American people, and without distraction. Right now, I am not that leader."

Through our Change that Works campaign, SEIU has mobilized a significant amount of resources and staff to win health care reform. The future Health and Human Services Secretary will no doubt be a partner in that mission. As a longtime advocate for health care reform, Sen. Daschle was an extraordinary pick to head this agency, but his resignation today only reminds us that to win health care for all, we will need the full force of a national grassroots movement. Real change comes from many people, working from the ground up; not one politician at the top.

Sen. Daschle's resignation may seem like an important political moment to those in Washington, but for most Americans, it's just a blip on the radar. What matters to them is whether they can afford to see the doctor or buy their children the medicine they need. With each one percent drop in employment, 1.1 million more people lose their insurance.

If the battle over children's health insurance taught us anything, it is that we can never take our focus off the finish line. If you haven't already, sign up to be a part of SEIU's Change that Works campaign: http://action.seiu.org/page/s/healthcareforall