SEIU President Andy Stern Tells Senate Finance Committee To Make Fixing Health Care “Top Priority”

Stern Is Only Labor Leader To Testify At Bipartisan Health Care Summit

June 16, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC – SEIU International President Andy Stern told a key Senate committee today that they must make fixing health care a “top priority,” urging Congress to immediately tackle the growing crisis.

Stern, who is President of the largest union of health care workers in North America, testified this morning at the Senate Finance Committee forum, titled “Prepare for Launch: Health Reform Summit 2008: Trends in Employer Sponsored Health Coverage.” Stern was the only labor leader represented on the panel.

“Voters are ready for action on health care – indeed they are demanding it,” said Stern. “They are ready for change, looking for solutions that embrace the future, and engaging at levels we have not seen for many years.”

Stern said that the bipartisan nature of today’s event signaled a real opportunity to enact substantive legislation to make sure they affordable health care becomes a reality for every man, woman, and child in America.

“The attendance of so many Senators of both political parties here today signals that you are making a commitment to finding solutions,” Stern said. “In 2009, Congress has a clear choice to make. You must decide to make fixing health care a top priority and an urgent priority.”

Stern outlined the commitment SEIU has made to the issue, including SEIU’s Americans for Health Care grassroots campaign, an ongoing nationwide bus tour called “The Road to American Health Care,” and the unprecedented resources that SEIU is committing to help elect a pro-health care President and Congress – making it clear that this focus would not let up after Election Day.

“We are raising the price to be paid by those who would seek to derail progress or stand in the way of commonsense, comprehensive solutions,” Stern testified. “Health care must be fixed for the future, not the past.”

Source: SEIU

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