SEIU Launches Nationwide Campaign For Kids' Healthcare

Protests, Outreach, Vigils This Week Will Send Clear Message To Congress:
STAND UP FOR HEALTHCARE, OVERTURN BUSH VETO!

WASHINGTON, DC - Thousands of healthcare workers, parents, children, faith leaders, and concerned citizens will take to the streets in communities across the country this week as part of a nationwide effort to win healthcare for nearly 10 million children.

Beginning October 9, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) will launch a comprehensive grassroots and advertising campaign urging Congress to override President Bush's veto of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The effort will focus on more than 30 members of Congress who voted against the SCHIP legislation last month, using rallies andTV and radio advertisements to urge them to change their position when the veto override comes before Congress on October 18.

"We cannot allow 4 million low-income children to go without proper healthcare in this country,"said SEIU Healthcare Chair Dennis Rivera.  "Congress must override President Bush's veto against healthcare for kids, or they will have to answer to the American people."

As part of the campaign, SEIU will help tens of thousands of people to send emails and make phone calls into congressional offices, allowing people who support healthcare for kids to talk directly to their representatives. Throughout the week, children, nurses, healthcare workers, and hundreds of others will rally at district Congressional offices. Workers will call upon faith-based leaders in their communities to share messages of support for SCHIP, and television and radio ads will urge people to call their representative. The campaign will culminate in a Capitol Hill candlelight vigil on Tuesday, October 16.

The following is a list of members of Congress who voted against the SCHIP expansion, and the districts in which paid media and mass mobilization efforts will be under way this week:

   Congressman Rodney Alexander: Louisiana, 5th District
   Congressman John Boozman: Arkansas, 3rd District,
   Congresswoman Kay Granger: Texas, 12th District
   Congresswoman Barbara Cubin: Wyoming
   Congresswoman Thelma Drake: Virginia, 2nd District
   Congressman Robin Hayes: North Carolina, 8th District
   Congressman Randy Kuhl: New York, 29th District
   Congressman Thomas Reynolds: New York, 26th District
   Congresswoman Michele Bachman: Minnesota, 6th District
   Congressman Robert Aderholt: Alabama, 4th District
   Congressman Greg Walden: Oregon, 2nd District

In addition, media events and vigils will take place in the following districts in support of an override of President Bush's veto:

   Congressman Wally Herger: California, 2nd District
   Congressman John Doolittle: California, 4th District
   Congresswoman Mary Bono: California, 45 District
   Congressman Brian Bilbray: California, 50th District
  Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave: Colorado, 4th District
   Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite: Florida, 5th  District
   Congressman Ric Keller: Florida, 8th District
   Congressman Gus Bilirakis: Florida, 9th District
   Congressman Tom Feeney: Florida, 24th District
   Congresswoman Judy Biggert: Illinois, 13th District
   Congressman Tim Johnson, Illinois, 15th District
   Congressman Joe Knollenberg: Michigan, 9th District
   Congressman Jim Ramstad: Minnesota, 3rd District
   Congressman Sam Graves: Missouri, 6th District
   Congressman Jim Saxton: New Jersey, 3rd District
   Congressman Scott Garrett: New Jersey, 5th District
   Congressman  Rodney Freylinghuysen: New Jersey, 11th District
   Congressman Dean Heller: Nevada, 1st District
   Congressman Jon Porter: Nevada, 3rd District
   Congresswoman Cathy Rodgers: Washington, 5th District
   Congressman Dave Reichert: Washington, 8th District

For more information on local events, please contact Meghan Finegan at 617-283-8597. To hear radio and view TV advertisements, please visit www.seiuhealthcare.org.