More than 150 activists come together to thank Members of New Hampshire's congressional delegation for supporting health care reform legislation and send them back to DC to get it done - quickly.

As Congress makes plans to go back to work after its August recess, New Hampshire health care reform advocates are sending their representatives off with a mission: "pass health care reform, and quick!" More than 150 people from across the state gathered in Portsmouth today as part of a nationwide effort to thank our representatives for their commitment to health insurance reform and celebrate progress towards giving every American quality, affordable health insurance.

Windam resident and small business owner Scott Baetz spoke at the event, and encouraged Congress to do whatever it takes to help New Hampshire families who are struggling to afford even bare-bones health insurance plans. "As a small business owner, I have personally watched my health care expenses literally triple in the same number of years. When we once offered a best of breed plan, we now only offer a high-deductible plan. I'm afraid that we may not even be able to afford that much longer," said Baetz.

Those in attendance thanked Representatives Paul Hodes and Carol Shea Porter for their commitment to reform, but reminded them that every day health care reform is delayed, real people in New Hampshire are affected. "Health insurance reform should not be about scoring political points. It's about people's lives. It's about people's businesses. It's about our country's future," said Laura Mick of Manchester, NH, who was born with a cyst and water around her brain and has been denied private health insurance because she has a pre-existing condition. "I have health insurance through the New Hampshire Health Plan, but I have a $10,000 deductible, have to pay $100 a month in premiums and still cannot choose which doctor I see."

Noticeably absent from the event was Senator Judd Gregg. In July, as a member of the Senate Health Education Labor and Pension Committee, Gregg voted against health care reform despite the pleas of New Hampshire's working families. Gregg continues to oppose comprehensive reform, which would protect the millions of Americans who already have insurance, but aren't getting the care they need because of sky-rocketing out of pocket expenses and unfair insurance company practices.

The event was sponsored by Health Care for America Now!, New Hampshire for Health Care and Organizing for America. This year, the Service Employees International Union's (SEIU) Change that Works/New Hampshire for Health Care campaign has taken part in thousands of events across the country, including dozens in New Hampshire, promoting health insurance reform that puts patients back in control of their health care.

The ambulance pulled into Bangor for the final stop and to drop off the 'patient profiles' to our members of Congress. It was a great trip, and as tired as we are, we can't help but think back to the hundreds of people we met as we traveled over 1000 miles and collected stories about the need for reform.

From Madawaska to Eastport, to Rumford and Portland, Mainers understand that we are all in this together, and need we can't wait any longer for reform. With 170,000 uninsured today in Maine, and 70 residents losing health insurance every day, our current health care system continues to fail our state, and our country. This year, the people of Maine lost as much as $810 million due to productivity losses from the uninsured--which is nothing when you compare it to the $248 billion lost this year nation wide. When you look at the facts, it is clear that the current system is broken and changes need to be made so that our state, and our country, get the health care system and the economy that they deserve.

But just because our fight is hard, doesn't mean we are stopping.

Maine families and small businesses need affordable, quality health care so we here at Change that Works are continuing to fight for reform. If you're a small business owner in Maine, and you agree with the economic necessity of health care reform to keep your business afloat, please support our cause by signing the pledge here: http://action.seiu.org/page/s/MESmBizPledge

Thanks for everyone who made our ambulance tour such a resounding success. Keep checking back with our Change that Works page for more health care stories, and ways to get involved.

When was the last time you got a paycheck for $9,600?

If it was last pay period, the health care reform bill in Congress may not be for you. But if you're one of the 98% of Americans who make less than $250,000 every year, you stand to save a lot of money.

The health care reform bill being voted on in the House this week will save you up to$2,200 per year. It would have people who make more than a quarter of a million dollars help pay for reform by rolling back Bush's tax cuts for the rich.

The bill is headed for a vote in the next 48 hours. Click here to write a letter to your representative and urge them to pass historic health reform so you can save money.

For decades, giant corporations have refused to pay their fair share of rising health care costs. All the while, workers, small business owners, and our families have picked up their tab.

We can change that. But we've got to act now. Click here to tell Congress it's time everyone - even millionaires - did their part to fix health care.

This bill guarantees us quality, affordable health care. It will cover the uninsured and significantly lower the costs for those of us who have insurance. Let's pass this bill, so we can lower ours.

Progressive groups and individuals are targeting the U.S. Chamber for its opposition to pretty much anything that makes life even "a little better for working people." Politico reports:

Labor unions and other progressive organizations are taking aim at the nation's premier business lobby: the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

One effort is being led by the Service Employees International Union, which is attacking the Chamber's history of opposing legislation aimed at helping the working class. Its campaign has two goals: to counter the Chamber's messages and its motives.

Small business owners spoke out against the U.S. Chambers true motives on climate change with the help of MoveOn.org. Said one:

"The Chamber of Commerce should represent the interests of American business -- not just the interests of a few of its big donors," Joe Guggenheim, owner of a small publishing company and a member of the Chamber, said in his letter to the organization.

Others involved in battling the U.S. Chamber include groups working on reforming both our financial and healthcare systems.

SEIU's Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger sums up the U.S. Chamber's modus operandi:

"Anytime there is a bill that makes things a little better for working people, they are opposed to it. What they are saying today about the [Employee] Free Choice Act is the same thing they said in the 1930s," Burger said. "It was Armageddon then, and it's Armageddon now."

"We want to point out who the Chamber is. It's a small group of people who fund campaigns against working families," Burger said. "This isn't business against workers. This is the Chamber of Commerce against workers."

Be sure to fax your Member of Congress and tell them that the to listen to working people, not the greedy corporations at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

On legislation to help small biz, U.S. Chamber is "Chamber of No"

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce claims to defend the interests of small businesses, but even a quick examination of their legislative record shows them opposing bill after bill that may help small businesses--and consistently siding with big corporations. From legislation that would ease the burden of credit card terms for small businesses, to bills that would stop outsourcing, the U.S. Chamber has proven to be the "Chamber of No." Here's our list of the top five worst Chamber policies for small businesses.

1) U.S. Chamber of Commerce Sided with Big Credit Card Companies over Small Business Owners. Small business owners are increasingly likely to rely on credit cards to finance their business operations, yet- like the rest of us- are increasingly finding the terms of their card agreements less favorable. The U.S. Chamber sided with big credit card companies over small business in the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act of 2008--legislation to provide common-sense regulations on credit.

Small Business Owners Rely On Credit Cards, Get Hurt By Credit Card Companies. A recent survey by the National Small Business Association found that 59 percent of all small businesses used credit cards to fund capital purchases and that 34 percent of small businesses held over one quarter of their business debt in credit cards. Moreover, 75 percent reported that the terms of their credit cards had become less favorable in the last six months.

2) U.S. Chamber of Commerce Sided with Big Oil Over Small Businesses on Bill to Stabilize Gas Prices. Despite the fact that gas prices were skyrocketing, the U.S. Chamber opposed the Consumer-First Energy Act of 2008, legislation designed to stabilize gas prices during a period of meteoric price increases. The bill-- which would have created a special supplemental 25 percent tax on the windfall profits of major oil and gas companies, suspended the filling of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, punished price gouging, and limited oil market speculation-- would have gone a long way to help America's small businesses, who are disproportionately sensitive to fluctuations in energy prices and price gouging at the pump.

3) U.S. Chamber of Commerce Opposed Legislation to Help Steelworkers Keep and Create Jobs in the U.S. The Chamber showed its true colors when it opposed "American-made" provisions in the aptly named "American Steel First Act," which would require infrastructure projects receiving federal funds to use American-made steel. The requirement would help domestic steel producers enjoy the benefits of federal stimulus funds, keeping much-needed jobs and commerce in the United States. Although mammoth companies like GE and Caterpillar get half or more of their revenue from exports, the same is emphatically not true of many small, local businesses and steel producers who deserve to benefit from federal spending before foreign counterparts.

4) U.S. Chamber Opposed Legislation to Stop Outsourcing of Call Centers
The US Chamber has continually supported the out-sourcing of jobs, despite small business support for legislation like the Call Center Consumer's Right to Know Act, an anti-outsourcing bill that requires call centers to disclose their location during each call. The small companies associated with the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the American Electronics Association (AEA) oppose outsourcing because it allows larger multinational companies to take advantage of cost-cutting mechanisms that are unavailable to smaller businesses, causing small businesses to close.

5) U.S. Chamber of Commerce Opposed Expanding Healthcare for, Low-Income Families and Children- Siding with Big Tobacco Over Small Businesses. By opposing the SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 and the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009, the Chamber again found itself on the wrong side of small business interests. The National Federation of Independent Businesses and the Business Roundtable both supported the SCHIP extension because they believe "small business owners and their employees are especially vulnerable to the weakness of the current system." The Chamber of Commerce, in a letter to Senators Baucus and Grassley, called the bill "a broad-based entitlement program is grossly unfair" particularly for states with "tobacco-based agricultural and industrial activities."

In response to recent attacks from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Maine small business owner Lisa McSwain advocated for healthcare reform to help other small businesses struggling with growing healthcare costs.

"At a time when small businesses are struggling, I can't imagine why the US Chamber is fighting healthcare reform that would ease the crushing burden of rising costs," said Lisa McSwain, owner of Mid Maine Restoration in Edgecomb, Maine.

McSwain continued:

"We started to offer healthcare to our employees 12 years ago when it was affordable. Back then, we had about 15 employees, but now we are down to five and just can't afford to pay the high premiums anymore. I would like to see healthcare reform so that I, as an employer, don't have to make life or death decisions for my employees."

McSwain's story is one repeated throughout the country. Small businesses are struggling to pay for skyrocketing costs, while big corporations represented by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce fight to keep the status quo.

Here are some facts on how small businesses are affected by the need for healthcare. Click here for more.

Small Business Struggling Under Crumbling Healthcare System

Small Businesses And Employees Pay 18% More For Health Insurance Than Larger Companies. According to the Small Business Majority, "small businesses and their employees pay an average of 18 percent more for the same level of health insurance benefits as large businesses." [Small Business Majority, 6/11/2009]

Over Five-Year Period, Small Businesses Saw Healthcare Costs Rise By 30 Percent. According to Rand, between 2000 and 2005, "small businesses (those with 25 or fewer employees) saw the expense of providing health insurance rise by nearly 30 percent..." [Rand, 4/4/2008]

Less Than Half Of Small Business Community Offered Employees Health Insurance In 2008. According to the Center for American Progress, "Only 49 percent of firms with fewer than 10 workers offered insurance in 2008." [Center for American Progress, 10/30/2008]

Small Business Owners And Employees Account For Over Half Of Uninsured Population. According to the Center for American Progress, "Small business owners and their employees account for the largest share of the uninsured population - an estimated 27 million of the 47 million Americans without health insurance." [Center for American Progress, 10/30/2008]

Failure To Act Could Cost Small Businesses Hundreds Of Thousands Of Jobs. According to the Small Business Majority, if healthcare reform is not passed, there will be 178,000 fewer small business jobs in 2018. [Small Business Majority, 6/11/2009]

Healthcare Reform Will Help Struggling Small Businesses Offer Affordable Coverage To All Workers

Health Insurance Exchange Would Provide Affordable Options For Small Businesses. According to Sen. Max Baucus' healthcare plan, "the Baucus plan would establish the Health Insurance Exchange through which individuals and small businesses in the market for insurance could obtain affordable healthcare coverage." [Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, 11/12/2008]

Public Plan Option Would Help Small Businesses By Providing An Array of Health Insurance Options. According to a health reform plan put forth by the Commonwealth Fund, including a framework that includes a public plan option "would permit individuals to keep their current coverage if it works for them while providing new choices through the insurance exchange, including a range of private plans and the new public plan. Small employers in particular would be able to offer their employees a choice of multiple plans. Large employers would gain a nationwide plan plus employee choice of regional plans." [Commonwealth Fund, 2/19/2009]

Healthcare Reform Can Save Small Businesses 36% Of Their Healthcare Costs and Reduce Profit Losses By More Than 50%. With healthcare reform, "small businesses can save as much as $855 billion, a reduction of 36 percent." In addition, "over the next ten years...small businesses will lose $52.1 billion in profits to high healthcare costs. Healthcare reform can reduce these losses by more than 56 percent, saving $29.2 billion in small business profits..." [Small Business Majority, 6/11/2009]

"This isn't an either/or proposition between the interests of workers and the interests of shareholders. That's the old argument. The new argument is that the American economy is not and has never been a zero-sum game. When workers are prospering, they buy products that make businesses prosper." -- President Barack Obama, Jan. 30, 2009

Today, 225 Colorado businesses released a "directory" featuring businesses that support the Employee Free Choice Act.

"It's time our economy worked for everyone again," said Terri Monley, owner of Gate City Moving in Denver. "We have a fundamental economic problem: The middle class is disappearing in America. Congress needs to pass the Employee Free Choice Act because it is one of the most important steps we can take to strengthen our middle class and turn our economy around."

"As a business owner, I believe that workers should have the freedom to bargain with employees for good wages, health care and the opportunity to retire with dignity," said Diana Ortiz, owner of Colorado-based Ortiz Enterprises, LLC, and advisory committee member of Business Leaders for a Fair Economy, a national group of more than 1,000 businesses who have come together to support the Employee Free Choice Act. "Better wages mean that the whole community has more money to spend and to build our economy." Ortiz's business was recently named "Small Business of the Decade" by the Pueblo Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

The facts speak for themselves: when workers can unite for a voice on the job, they make one-third more in wages and are 52 percent more likely to have health care. More people, with more money, invariably support small businesses. In this economic crisis, we have a duty to support entrepreneurs and start-up companies in building sustainable, long-term successful businesses, rather than being forced to compete against irresponsible companies in an unwinnable, low-wage race to the bottom.

Nearly 40 leading American economists, including Nobel Prize winners Joseph Stiglitz and Kenneth Arrow, have issued a joint statement calling for passage of the Employee Free Choice Act as a critical step towards rebuilding our economy.

From the moment they flew people to Washington, DC to lobby against the Employee Free Choice Act, things were just not going the Chamber of Commerce's way...

From bringing a major labor law violator to lobby on behalf of (wait for it...) labor law reform, to getting caught in a lie by Sen. Feinstein, this can't be how the Chamber wanted their lobbying week to go.

TERRIBLE: As one of their main lobbyists on labor law reform, the Chamber of Commerce brings to Washington... a major labor law violator.

One of the Arkansas business leaders that the Chamber flew in was Michael Keck of St. Vincent Health System, where multiple unfair labor practices have been filed against management. (As an executive, Michael is "management.") It took St. Vincent nurses more than 3 years to get a union contract, during which time the National Labor Relations Board had to step in at least twice.  Read the full TPM piece here.

HORRIBLE: The Chamber claims that Sen. Dianne Feinstein no longer supports Employee Free Choice, and is promptly smacked down...by Sen. Feinstein. After a local California Chamber group met with Sen. Feinstein, they put out the word that she was changing her position; she did not support the bill. The only problem? It was flatly untrue. In response, Sen. Feinstein issued this clarifying statement:

"A statement has been put out mischaracterizing my position on this bill. The truth is that I am working to find common ground between the needs of both business and labor in order to reach a bipartisan solution. I believe we must find a way to protect the privacy of individual workers so that they may elect whether to form a union free of intimidation."

The same day, Sen. Johnson came out in favor of Employee Free Choice.

According to Wednesday's Argus Leader, Sen. Tim Johnson told a delegation of South Dakota business leaders Wednesday that he would vote to bring a controversial labor bill to the Senate floor for debate. "His decision to vote to consider the Employee Free Choice Act is a blow to local and national business groups, which have lobbied strenuously against the measure," wrote the Leader. It's "very significant," acknowledges the state Chamber president.

NO GOOD:  According to a Maine small business owner: The US Chamber of Commerce doesn't speak for small businesses any more than Burger King speaks for cows.  In response to a statement by the US Chamber of Commerce that Small Business owners oppose the Employee Free Choice Act, Mainer Ben Wootten said: "The US Chamber of Commerce doesn't speak for small businesses any more than Burger King speaks for cows. While the Chamber works overtime to represent the narrow interests of bloated, wealthy corporations, our nation's small businesses are struggling simply to keep their doors open.  We need common-sense measures like health care reform and the Employee Free Choice Act to help small business owners control costs and ensure that their employees feel truly invested in the long-term future of their workplace."

VERY BAD: Backed into a corner, they're now making misleading claims about the Employee Free Choice Act in a new ad. Many people saw the misleading and hypocritical ad the Chamber of Commerce placed in Roll Call and Politico yesterday. The fact is that -- when it suits them -- companies use binding arbitration all the time. In March of this year, the Chamber called Consumer Arbitration, "Fair, Inexpensive, and Unbiased."  But when it comes to creating a contract that works for workers, companies often refuse to negotiate a first agreement, or use stall tactics and gimmicks to delay the process for years.  Sixty-two percent of workers who form a union lack an agreement one year later and companies refuse to even negotiate in good faith in over 28% of cases.

Big Banks liquidating your workplace like Hartmarx suit makers in Chicago? Now there's a place to turn to for resources to fight back.

Yesterday, SEIU launched "Keep America Working" -- a toll-free hotline and website to support small business owners and workers facing job loss because of frozen credit and liquidation at the hands of bailed-out banks. The new website is www.keepworkinghotline.org and the hotline number is 877-286-1Job (it will be open Monday-Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT).

Up until now, there has been no system in place to hold banks accountable for their lending practices, despite the fact that they have received more than $410 billion in taxpayer bailout funds in an effort to restore lending and get the economy moving. The Keep America Working hotline and website will help shed light on the shortsighted practices of big banks who have failed to live up to their responsibilities to taxpayers and are now pushing for company and worker liquidation. SEIU is also working with Rep. Hare and Rep. Schakowsky in getting support from their colleagues to draft a letter to Treasury Secretary Geithner to enlist his help to protect jobs in our communities and hold banks accountable who received TARP for actions that undercut a meaningful economic recovery.

Some of the banks who act as prime lenders to companies that are currently liquidating jobs include--no surprise here-- Bank of America and Wells Fargo. If you're a business owner or employee that's affected by big banks like these putting the squeeze on your company, visit www.keepworkinghotline.org and let us know.

You need help - and you're certainly not getting it from the banks. So call the hotline at 1-877-286-1JOB or visit www.KeepWorkingHotline.org