For Immediate Release
Friday, July 24, 2009
AFSCME Ramps Up Health Care Campaign with New TV Ad
New Spot Featuring Union Nurses Part of Unprecedented Legislative Push
Washington, D.C. —***Watch the tv ad here ***
The American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO (AFSCME) has launched a new television ad featuring the union’s nurses. The ad highlights the desperate need nurses see for health care reform, as they serve on the front lines of the crisis each day.
The initial buy for the “Nurses” ad will begin Sunday, July 26 and will continue on networks and cable through July 29.
The 30-second “Nurses” spot is the latest salvo in AFSCME’s aggressive, on-going effort to support President Obama’s vision of health care reform.
It follows a two-week, $1 million ad push by AFSCME and Health Care for America Now (HCAN). The two organizations released a television spot yesterday that criticizes seven members of Congress for their recent votes against health care reform. The seven are: Sen. Lamar Alexander (TN), Rep. Dave Camp (MI), Rep. Eric Cantor (VA), Rep. Bill Cassidy (LA), Rep. Dave Reichert (WA), Rep. Mark Souder (IN), and Rep. Patrick Tiberi (OH).
Earlier this week AFSCME and HCAN aired television ads directed at Sen. Kent Conrad (ND), Sen. Byron Dorgan (ND), Rep. Baron Hill (IN), Rep. Charlie Melancon (LA), Rep. Mike Ross (AR) and Rep. Bart Stupak (MI). AFSCME also aired a separate ad directed at Sen. Dianne Feinstein. These ads called on members of Congress to support legislation that will lower costs, expand coverage and keep the insurance companies honest. The ads support legislation that would allow people to keep the insurance they have now or choose from a range of plans, including a new public health insurance option.
The paid-media effort is part of an unprecedented legislative drive by AFSCME that includes the deployment of dozens of campaign field organizers in states that are home to opponents of – and swing votes on – health care reform. Among them: Arkansas, Delaware, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
Paid advertising, new technology, direct mail and grassroots activism have generated more than 80,000 letters, calls and e-mail to Congress.
