On Sept. 18th, the last day of SEIU’s Member Political Action Conference, SEIU members appealed to Congress and President Bush to get our country’s priorities straight.

With signs and shouts of “Money for Healthcare, Not War!” they rallied on Capitol Hill for urgently-needed funding for children’s healthcare through the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), set to expire at the end of this month. With their children beside them, they delivered one million signed petitions in red wagons and large purple sacks to elected officials present.

The members also held meetings with their Senators and members of Congress on a wide range of issues, including nurse staffing, immigration, the war in Iraq, and the right of workers to choose to form a union without interference from employers.

Later in the day, they regrouped to discuss ways to further hold local and national politicians accountable to working people, and to map out the steps needed to win for workers in the 2008 elections.