Washington, DC - Andy Stern, President of the Service Employees International Union, provided the following statement upon release of the Senate HELP Committee draft of Healthcare Reform legislation:

To realize the fundamental change that is needed to fix our broken healthcare system, our elected leaders must have courage, passion, and vision. Senator Kennedy, Senator Dodd and HELP Committee members from both sides of the aisle have channeled their courage and passion into a vision of reform that provides Americans with more choices and more affordable healthcare options; including one guaranteed by the government that puts the good of the American people ahead of profits.

"The provisions outlined in Americans Health Choices Act provide working families with the freedom to make their own choice of whether to keep their current plan or to join a public health insurance option that encourages honest competition and guarantees everyone access to better, more affordable healthcare solutions. The Americans Health Choices Act is another opportunity for Congress to prove it can work in a bipartisan way to increase healthcare choices and quality for Americans while addressing the cost crisis that is crippling our economy and driving working families into financial ruin."

With 2 million members in Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico, SEIU is the fastest-growing union in the Americas. Focused on uniting workers in healthcare, public services and property services, SEIU members are winning better wages, healthcare and more secure jobs for our communities, while uniting their strength with their counterparts around the world to help ensure that workers--not just corporations and CEOs--benefit from today's global economy.

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