WASHINGTON - February 27 - CEO Lee Scott and I agree: We need ‘real solutions’ for America’s broken health care system, and that ‘every day we do not work together to solve this challenge is a day that our country becomes less competitive in the global economy.’

On behalf of the 1.8 million members of SEIU and their families – many of whom shop at Wal-Mart – I welcome these words from a leader I have often been at odds with publicly.

In signaling his willingness to work with elected officials, labor, community advocates and working people to fix our broken health care system, Mr. Scott has taken an important first step to help lead a critical dialogue on how to solve the health care challenges facing America.

Working families and this entire country need this kind of leadership as soaring health care costs become the most pressing economic threat to our nation’s prosperity.  Too few, particularly in Washington, have been willing to step-up and lead this much needed conversation.

We need a team - business, working people, and elected officials - to truly tackle this crisis and develop a uniquely American system.

Challenging the nation’s Governors, Mr. Scott said yesterday, ‘there’s a new twist to our challenges, and that’s how we need to solve them. We have to be more nimble and more innovative…pulling from the best in government, the best in business, the best in non-profits, the best in labor, and the best in the American people.’  I agree.

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