After months of deliberation, Congress inched closer this week to enacting comprehensive health care reform legislation, a long-time goal of the labor movement that has been shared by Presidents of both major political parties, including Theodore Roosevelt and Richard Nixon from the GOP and Presidents Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama from the Democratic party. Five Congressional committees have now passed bills and we expect compromise versions of the legislation to be unveiled in both the House and the Senate in the coming days.

While the NALC has generally supported President Obama's broad principles for reform, letter carriers should know that their union is closely following the legislation and will only support a bill that is good for letter carriers. Members may ask, "What's in it for us?  We already have good insurance."  As I wrote in the upcoming issue of the Postal Record, skyrocketing health care costs have chipped away at our take-home pay and pose a threat to the long-term viability of the Postal Service.  Health care reform that brings down costs for everyone will benefit letter carriers and relieve pressure on all employers, including the Postal Service.

NALC supports reform which includes a strong public option to help lower costs, an employer mandate that requires large companies to pay their fair share, and a funding mechanism to help workers in small companies buy insurance that does not tax or diminish our hard-earned health benefits.

As the debate over health care reform heats up in the weeks to come, I hope you'll stand with your brothers and sisters in NALC to fight for good, progressive health care reform. That means acting on future e-Activist messages and following the lead of your state association presidents and your Congressional District Liaisons to let your representatives in Washington know what we expect from reform.

With energy and conviction we can use the democratic process to shape legislation that will secure health care for all Americans and strengthen and secure our jobs.  

In solidarity,
Fredric V. Rolando
President