NEA is working to ensure that the final legislative package on health care reform embodies our values and passes with great support.  I send to you the following message at their request.



We are on the brink of an historic moment - healthcare coverage for over 30 million Americans who don't have it (including millions of children who are served by our members) and reform that ensures that our members' and all middle class families aren't asked to bear an unfair burden in order to achieve quality, affordable healthcare for Americans.

We have attached and pasted below additional materials and information that detail our healthcare effort thus far, provide talking points, and outline our next steps.



NEXT STEPS:

1.    PLEASE HELP US by driving members to this alert!  The current vote count margin in the House to pass healthcare reform is thin, and the 60-vote balance in the Senate is fragile.  We need your help in getting our members to pivot from the excise tax message to "Finish Reform Right!" http://www.nea.org/home/19449.htm  -- Link to the Legislative Action Alert.  

2.    Watch for future information about House and Senate targets who may be wavering about supporting the passage of healthcare reform - if needed, we will send state-specific call sheets and/or materials to you!

Additional information:

http://www.nea.org/home/37639.htm -- Link to information on the public site about the agreement and Dennis Van Roekel's video message

http://www..nea.org/home/37647.htm -- Link to Dennis Van Roekel's statement released yesterday following the conclusion of conversations at the White House

NEA Today Express (slated to go out on Tues):
http://em.mansellgroup.net/nea/NEATodayExpress/NEA01202010_ST1emALT.html



NEA Summary of Health Care activities 



This past week:

*    Mon: Meeting of all Labor Presidents with the President and Vice President of the United States 
*    Tues: Meeting of Labor Presidents with Speaker Pelosi and Rep. George Miller 
*    Wed: All day/night meeting of select Labor Presidents (NEA, AFL-CIO, SEIU, CTW, CWA, AFSCME, AFT) with WH staff 
*    Thurs: Continuation of meetings with key WH staff; Labor represented by NEA, AFL-CIO, and CWA 
*    Thurs and Fri:  National press activities featuring NEA leaders; language drafting; information to affiliates and members via nea.org 
*    All week:  80 contacts by lobbyists and other NEA staff covering all Democratic Senators, plus continued contacts with key House offices this week to keep pressure on the Senate and obtain signers to Sen. Brown's letter 
*    We are still receiving reports from State leaders who made calls and sent letters this week to Senators, as well as sending email alerts to members (Please send these reports in to us!  We continue to keep the Speaker's office updated about these grassroots and grasstops statistics) 



Since Nov 1:

*    8 White House/Administration meetings 
*    3 Letters and numerous supporting documents and emails sent to White House/WH staff 

*    267 Board visits during December Super week (213 to House and 54 to Senate) 
*    84 calls made by affiliate leaders in the first round to House members 
*    45,920 emails sent through LAC on excise tax on the excise tax!! 
*    5,931 Patch through calls into targeted districts 
*    10 different, detailed letters specifically about the excise tax sent to Hill 
*    10 Political briefings held by NEA staff (with DCCC, DGA, Dem leadership, etc.) 
*    24 briefing calls made to House members, White House, and campaign committee political consultants (in addition to regular consultant calls) 
*    2 poll briefings (40 House Dem offices-15 Sen offices) and Sanders press conference 
*    5 State Affiliates calls to give updates 
*    17 Articles and op-eds as a result of our partnership with AFL and CWA 
*    Developed an analytical model for estimating the impact of the excise tax, and analyzed data from health plans covering more than 400,000 NEA members in 19 states. Used the resulting estimates to develop advocacy materials for the House of Representative, Senate, and White House.  Produced 17 state-specific fact sheets on the devastating impact that the excise tax would have on NEA members' health plans. 



Overall Numbers: 

�        181,174 e-mails sent to Congress and the President through the LAC on health care reform since March 2009

�        26 letters sent to Congress and/or President Obama since March on health care reform.

�        843 Board Visits during 3 Super Weeks (May, September, December 2009)  -- 667 to House and 176 to Senate

�        59 media interviews on health care reform since summer 2009 (see attached)

�        NEA quoted or mentioned in 36 articles regarding health care reform since summer 2009 (see attached)

�        A dozen press releases distributed on health care reform since summer 2009 (see attached)

�        More than 20,000 handwritten postcards delivered to Hill since July 2009

�        Over 7,700 phone calls (patch through) to targeted offices 

�        Surveyed some 2,500 members about their expectations related to reform and compiled results. Also conducted a formal health reform poll of NEA members and leaders.  Based on survey and poll feedback, as well as NEA resolutions and the legislative priorities, shaped New Business Items on NEA's health care reform work in 2008 and 2009. (see attached for much more detail on CB/MA work).  

Doris Boitnott

Assistant Director of Government Relations

Virginia Education Association

116 S Third Street

Richmond VA  23219



804-775-8330

"The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie -- deliberate, contrived and dishonest -- but the myth -- persistent, persuasive and unrealistic."
John F. Kennedy