Texas AFT and the other 40-plus state affiliates of the American Federation of Teachers, with more than 1.4 million members nationwide, add up to a powerful voice in public policy. Thanks are due to all of you who already have lent your voices to the campaign for real health-care reform. Your efforts are making a difference.

 

However, the work is not yet done--in fact, the most important phase of this campaign is just beginning. At this moment, key U.S. Senate committees are negotiating what will be included in the final legislation. They are looking at many proposals; the choices they make will affect all Americans. 

 

So now more than ever, your help is needed. Together, we can sway this debate.

 

Here are two ways you can help:

 

1. Send a letter (http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/SenHealthcare100109) to your senators now.

 

2. Participate in a National Call-in Day on October 7. Look for more details in a future e-mail on how you can be connected directly to your senators' offices to speak out on health-care reform.

 

Your senators need to know you want reform that will achieve key goals (as detailed in yesterday's hotline and in the text of the online letter ready for your use):

 

--Control costs and not tax our health-insurance benefits;
--Make coverage affordable for all Americans;
--Encourage competition by including a national public health-insurance plan option;
--Prevent employers from dropping coverage; and
--Prevent shifting new Medicaid costs to states.

 

One final word:  Don't be discouraged if you get an initially negative response from Sen. John Cornyn or Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Rest assured they keep careful track of the number of calls and letters they receive on health-care reform. Even if we cannot sway their votes on every issue, we may win them over on one or two. The more of us they hear from, the more pressure they will feel to find some way to show they are being responsive. Every letter and every call helps.