Service Employees International Union (SEIU) United Long Term Care Workers (ULTCW) and a group of partner organizations recently sent an open letter to the members of the Congressional Super Committee working on deficit reduction, calling on Committee members to use their “conscience as their compass” when deliberating solutions to the national debt.
SEIU ULTCW’s major concern is potential cuts to Medicaid and Medicare funding and how such cuts would jeopardize the safety and health of our most vulnerable citizens. They also point out that these cuts would only add to our nation’s unemployment rate.
The letter stated that Americans are living longer, and that it is our responsibility as a nation to provide them with the care they require.
Laphonza Butler, President of SEIU ULTCW, stated, “If these vital programs were cut in order to balance our national debt, countless lives would be placed at risk. Not only would the vital healthcare our seniors and people with disabilities rely on be devastated, but hundreds of thousands of good American jobs would be lost.”
The letter points out that if Medicaid were cut by five percent, an additional 250,000 American jobs would be eliminated. If the program were cut by 15 percent, that number would rise to 748,000.
While highlighting the various options being proposed by the Democratic and Republican parties, the letter calls for the Super Committee to “reach beyond the Beltway, talk to real Americans and ensure that your legislative process is creating more jobs, not eliminating them.” It also states that “the confusion, political posturing and bickering surrounding healthcare and the budget is exhausting, infuriating, and above all else, a complete disgrace.”
In closing, the letter calls on the Super Committee to vote against Medicare and Medicaid cuts and vote in support of providing quality care, job creation and real innovation.
Additional support has been provided by the 85,000-member Nurse Alliance of the SEIU, who sent their own letter last month and have been visiting members of Congress to personally deliver a similar message.
The Super Committee is expected to make its recommendations on November 23, 2011.