The Final Push For Health Care...
Vote Days Away, Burger Tells Congress: "This Is It."
With an up-or-down vote on health care reform just days away, working people are taking to the streets and to the airwaves to push for passage of the President's proposal. Of the final push, Change to Win Chair and SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger said, "This is it. This is the moment of truth for every Member of Congress."
Also yesterday, the Congressional Budget Office came out with their analysis of the reconciliation bill, saying it will help cut the deficit by $1.3 trillion over 20 years, cover 95 percent of all Americans and is fully paid for.
Organizations Coming Together for Healthcare
The revised House bill was released yesterday. A vote in the U.S. House could happen as early as Sunday, with the Senate not far behind. Organizations across the country came together on Wednesday to show their support for health care reform. Small businesses, consumer organizations, faith, seniors, physicians, labor, and many more gathered to make the call for reform loud and clear. Marla J. Weston, PhD, RN, head of the American Nurses Association, stated at the event, Please trust me when I tell you that we can't afford to put off reform for one more administration-one more political season-or even one more day." To learn more about the event, visit the White House Blog.
Across the Country, SEIU Members Aren't Taking "No" For An Answer
We're Turning Out for Health Care in New York...
SEIU 1199 turned out in force to thank Rep. Dan Maffei for announcing his support of the health care reform bill. Local tea party activists showed up, all 25 of them, to protest. Over 100 health care supporters showed their support with signs and cheers.
Pennsylvania
More than 60 health care reform supporters rallied at Kathy Dahlkemper's office in Erie, Pennsylvania on Tuesday to urge her to support the bill. The activists went into her office to sign the register and submit their position on health care. View video of the event. Additional events are planned across the state.
North Dakota
Local tea party activists planned an event, asking people to honk as they drove past Congressman Earl Pomeroy's (D-ND) Bismarck office if they opposed health care. Six teabaggers showed up with signs. Not to be outdone, Change that Works North Dakota turned out seventeen activists to the same event asking people to honk if they DID support health care. The press reported a lot of honking. Read about it in the Bismarck Tribune.
New Mexico
CIR/SEIU and partners placed an ad in the Las Cruces Sun newspaper, the largest newspaper in Congressman Teague's district urging him to support health care reform. The ad highlights the sad fact that 434,000 New Mexicans currently do not have insurance.
North Carolina
In North Carolina, SEANC is planning an action in front of Congressman Kissell's Concord office to tell him to "stop kissing up to insurance companies". SEANC points out that Kissell campaigned on health care reform in 2008, and SEIU members knocked on 25,000 doors in support of his candidacy because of it. Kissell is planning to vote against health care reform.
Ohio
SEIU locals are busy planning events, placing ads and making calls in support of health care reform in the final few days before the vote on the bill. In Cincinnati, SEIU District 1199 WV/KY/OH, SEIU Local 1 and other labor and community groups are launching an ad campaign to tell Congressman Driehaus: Protect working families, not insurance companies.
At long last, it's beginning to look like Congress understands the costs of doing nothing. Make sure they don't forget it. Call Congress and tell them to finish the job on fixing health care. Call 1-866-311-3405 and tell your member of Congress to finish the job on health reform.
