HOUSE APPROVES HISTORIC HEALTHCARE BILL; MORE TO DO

Being born a woman

is no longer a pre-existing condition

Washington, D.C.--  In a historic vote more than 60 years in the making, the U.S. House of Representatives late Sunday night voted to approve (220-211) what AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka calls a ”momentous step toward comprehensive health care.”

Amazing. After decades of attempts, this is a historic achievement. The bill is far from perfect-- and, our work and that of progressives throughout this fight made it much stronger—even bringing it back from the dead when many Democrats were ready to give up.

The bill survived a $100 million lie-and-distortion campaign by Big Insurance to kill it—the same kind of tactics these groups have aimed at health care proposals for six decades. Trumka says the bill is not “a baby step or half measure,” but a solid step forward to set our country on a path to health care that actually works for working families.

Throughout the health care battle, mobilized union members provided a strong and visible counterpoint to the insurance giants’ television and lobbying blitz. Union members made more than 4 million phone calls and sent more than 1 million e-mail messages to lawmakers. Leaders flew to Washington, D.C., and visited members of Congress in their districts, making more than 10,000 contacts.

While union members attempted to persuade the undecided, they also warned lawmakers they would be held accountable if they turned their backs on working families and voted against health care reform.

But we have one final push to make this week. There's one more crucial Senate vote (Reconciliation Act H.R. 4872) to make key progressive fixes—many to help insure more low-income families—to the final package.  Contact Senators Schumer and Gillibrand today!

To read more about this story, please go to the AFL-CIO blog.

A CSEA activist rallies outside Erie County

Office Building in September of 2009

photo by Ove Overmyer