Now Is the Season for Action

September 10, 2009

Addressing a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night, President Obama made the case for meaningful health care reform. The speech "re-energized the forces for reform and has set a clear path for victory," says AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee, and "we’re going to do our part and hold Congress accountable."

"The time has come for Congress to put people above profits and enact real health care reform. We’re also going to pull out all the stops to take on the insurance industry. The President’s right – ‘The time for games has passed – now is the season for action.’"

In his speech, President Obama reiterated his support for a public option while forcefully dispelling the fear and misrepresentations which have been spread by the opponents of reform. And by declaring health care reform a moral necessity, said McEntee, he raised the stakes for all Americans.

“We’re with him. AFSCME has committed an unprecedented amount of resources and energy to this effort – including ads, canvassing, phone calls, online activities and the deployment of dozens of campaign field organizers to key states – and we’re going to continue to do all we can to ensure that, as President Obama said, he becomes the last president to have to make the case for health care reform.”

Read President McEntee's full statement, and learn more about the Obama plan for health care reform on whitehouse.gov.