Inauguration Day: SEIU Congratulates President Obama

WASHINGTON, DC - After President Barack Obama delivered his second inaugural address this afternoon, Mary Kay Henry, President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), issued the following statement:

On behalf of SEIU's 2.1 million members, I congratulate President Obama as he embarks on his second term. Hundreds of thousands of SEIU members worked to re-elect the President, dedicated to the ideals that we are all in this together and that our best days are ahead of us. His address today eloquently confirmed those beliefs.The President captured the spirit of our country. He spoke about what the ceremony's opening prayer implored him to do - using the power of his office to leverage good for all our people.

"After taking office during the most severe economic crisis since the Great Depression, President Obama saved our economy from disaster. His leadership was essential in enacting Wall Street reform, requiring the wealthy to pay more of their fair share and he made history by signing the Affordable Care Act. On President Obama's watch, the economy stopped hemorrhaging jobs and entered a period of sustained job growth. We are surely better off than we were four years ago.

"With all the successes of President Obama's first term, there is still much work to do. We need to continue growing our economy to create good jobs while protecting vital services from devastating budget cuts. And we wholeheartedly share the President's commitment to commonsense solutions to fixing our broken immigration system.

"In President Barack Obama, we have the leader we need to create a more just and equitable society. We look forward to working with him every step of the way to make that vision a reality."

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