The House won't pass a bill without a public option, and the Senate won't pass one with it. That statement, which has almost become a truism on Capitol Hill, was splashed with a healthy dose of reality by 30 Senators today, including Sen. Specter, who laid out their strong support for a public option.

Their letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid stating:

"We have spent the better part of this year fighting for health reform that would provide insurance access and continuity to every American in a fiscally responsible manner. We are concerned that -- absent a competitive and continuous public insurance option -- health reform legislation will not produce nationwide access and ongoing cost containment. For that reason, we are asking for your leadership on ensuring that the merged health reform bill contains a public insurance option."

The letter was signed by: Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Roland Burris (D-Ill.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), Ted Kaufman (D-Del.), Arlen Specter (D-Pa.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), John Kerry (D-Mass.), Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) and Paul Kirk (D-Mass.).

Last week, SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger wrote an op-ed in the Huffington Post demanding the Democrats cease hiding behind Republicans and stand up for a strong public option. Looks like at least 30 Senators took her advice.

Yesterday SEIU launched an online campaign asking senators to stand with working people, not greedy CEOs, on the Employee Free Choice Act.  The Huffington Post wrote of our campaign:

One of the nation's largest unions is making a significant ad purchase targeting four Democrats and one Republican Senator on the Employee Free Choice Act.

Targeting Democratic Senators Mark Pryor and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, Jim Webb of Virginia, and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, as well as Republican David Vitter of Louisiana, the message is at once effective and sharp: To oppose the labor-backed legislation would be to side with the institutions that create the current economic malaise.

In addition to putting out the four web videos, the SEIU is also launching email campaigns targeting the five senators, with much the same message and aim.
The email campaign mirrored the below message sent to our Arkansas activists; you can see all the ads below.

Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor, stand with Arkansas' working people, not greedy CEOs

Arkansas

Louisiana

Pennsylvania

Virginia

Harley riders. Pancake breakfasts. Governor Howard Dean.

What do they all have in common? They're just a few of the unique ways that SEIU's keeping our campaigns for health care reform and Employee Free Choice moving during the Memorial Day recess.

As the Congressional week draws to a close, and Members head back to their districts, they'll be greeted by a wave of activities on the ground, in the mail and over the airwaves, letting them know that working families need affordable, quality health care, and the right to bargain with their employers for job security and better benefits.

Here's just a few highlights from the more than 100 events in 16 states taking place next week:

• In North Dakota, SEIU leaders will be participating in a Divided We Fail event with Senator Conrad. Keep an eye out for our traveling "Faces of the Employee Free Choice Act" billboards as well.
• In Colorado, we'll be standing with former Gov. Howard Dean at a town hall to champion the need for a real public health insurance option. We're also going to be partnering with the Sierra Club in CO to highlight the economic and environmental support for Employee Free Choice and green jobs, through community engagement and signs along the road.
• In Maine, our "Faces of the Employee Free Choice Act" billboards will travel the state from event to event, where members will be making calls to their Senators. Maine is also one of nearly a dozen states where we'll be releasing our "Value of Reform" reports that demonstrates the true value of changing our broken healthcare system.
• In Virginia, we will continue our statewide door-to-door canvassing campaign to build community support.
• In Montana, we'll join Senator Tester at events across the state to share personal stories on why the legislation is needed.

In addition, we're keeping the heat on through television ads, mail and phone calls asking Senators where they stand: with working families or with corporate CEOs? Like this ad, currently running in Pennsylvania, noting that Sen. Specter voted for Employee Free Choice two years ago, and now has a big decision to make about his priorities.

During these next few weeks, we'll be sprinting to the finish line on major pieces of legislation that will truly deliver the change we voted for in November. To get involved, become a part of Change that Works and start making the difference in health care reform and ensuring workers have a voice on the job today.