Statement of George Gresham, President of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East On Supreme Court’s Decision To Uphold Affordable Care Act

June 28, 2012

"Today’s decision by the US Supreme Court is a momentous victory for working people across the country.

32 million uninsured Americans will now have access to quality healthcare coverage. Insurance companies will no longer be able to deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions. Young adults can continue to be covered under their parents’ insurance. Seniors will have access to affordable prescriptions. Low-wage workers will no longer have to choose between paying their bills or getting the vital care they need.

For the past two years, political extremists and the corporate elite have spent millions to distort the objectives and benefits of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in a cynical effort to spread fear among every day Americans. Defending the very same market-driven philosophy that created the crisis in our healthcare system, they prioritized profits over people.

Today the Supreme Court rejected that destructive approach and put this country on the path forward to improving the lives of all working families.

1199SEIU has been a leader in the fight for healthcare reform, having fought for decades to expand access to quality care. On the frontlines of the healthcare crisis, our members have lobbied elected leaders, attended countless rallies and shared their own stories of struggle and hardship. We celebrate today’s victory with our members and activists who time and again rise up to fight for justice and a better future. This would not have been possible without their tireless advocacy and today we take a giant leap forward in our fight.

We thank President Obama and members of Congress for their bold and courageous leadership in passing this bill and defending its benefits in the face of an aggressive misinformation campaign. We also thank Governor Andrew Cuomo for his support of the ACA and the creation of a healthcare exchange in New York.

We look forward to full implementation of the bill which will make the promise of quality healthcare a reality.”