For Immediate Release
Monday, August 31, 2009
AFSCME’s “Highway to Health Care Reform” Tour Rolls into DC
Washington, D.C. —The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) hosted a rocking block party today at the headquarters of the AFL-CIO to celebrate the success of the union’s “Highway to Health Care Reform” bus tour.
AFSCME’s “Highway to Health Care Reform” bus tour visited 19 cities in 10 states during the past three weeks, urging the public to demand real reform from their members of Congress.
“The energy and spirit of our Highway to Health Care Reform tour is in sharp contrast to the anger and hate from the opponents of reform. They’ve tried to derail affordable, quality health care for all with misinformation and lies. But we kept right on going,” said AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee. “Since our campaign began, AFSCME members have had more than 100,000 contacts with Congress. They’ve made visits and calls, and sent e-mails and letters. There is no doubt that America is committed to health care reform.”
“Wherever the tour went, it generated tremendous grassroots publicity and it told the truth where national health care reform was being buried under a mountain of lies,” said AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney. “This may be the end of the Highway to Health Care Tour, but it’s just the beginning of an intensified campaign for health care reform.”
The tour is part of AFSCME’s unprecedented $6 million “Make America Happen” campaign, which includes ads, canvassing, phone calls, online activities and the deployment of dozens of campaign field organizers to key states in support of President Obama’s efforts to win real health care reform.
“Health care reform means I can reassure my patients that no matter what, they will never have to worry about losing their health insurance or go broke paying for health care,” said Dr. Valerie Arkoosh the president-elect of the National Physicians Alliance. “If you have insurance through your job, your coverage will be secure and your costs will go down. If you don’t have health insurance, you will now have a choice of affordable plans, including private insurance or a public health insurance plan that will force private companies to compete on quality, efficiency, and patient satisfaction.”
"From Florida to Oregon, we’re now seeing huge crowds turn out for rallies, town halls, and marches in support of health care reform," said Richard Kirsch, National Campaign Manager, Health Care for America Now (HCAN). “This is it – the home stretch – and we’re sending Congress back to Washington after Labor Day with the clear message that voters expect them to get health insurance reform done now. We will achieve quality, affordable health care for all in 2009.”
Learn more at AFSCME’s special campaign website: www.MakeAmericaHappen.com.
