March 19, 2010

The Honorable Michael Arcuri

U. S. House of Representatives
127 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Representative Arcuri:

In November of 2009 you fulfilled your campaign pledge to our members and to the voters of
your district and voted for health insurance reform. We were shocked and dismayed to hear this
week that you may be breaking your promise by voting against reform this Sunday. To do so
would be a betrayal to our members who worked hard to help you win your office, and it would
do an enormous disservice to the residents of New York’s 24th Congressional District who stand
to benefit enormously from this legislation.

For working people, the legislation means that health insurance at work will come with new
protections against insurance company abuses, like caps on annual or lifetime payments, and
new benefits such as free preventive care. For the self-employed, the legislation will provide tax
credits that will make health coverage affordable. It will create a new health insurance market
that will stop insurance companies from denying care, while providing consumers new choices.
For small businesses it will mean tax credits to make coverage affordable. The hospitals in the
24th Congressional District will receive $36 million to pay for uncompensated care. New York
State will get more than $55 billion in the next decade from the federal government in the form
of tax credits to families and small businesses and revenues to pay for Medicaid.

The fact is that most union members already have access to good, affordable coverage, a benefit
of having us represent them at the bargaining table. But we acutely understand that our members
and their families cannot thrive in a community that has so many people suffering from huge
medical bills, small businesses struggling to pay for premiums, and local and state governments
burdened by soaring health care costs.

Congressman, we will not be able to explain to the members of our union why you voted against
this bill. After voting for the House bill in November, the feeling of betrayal will be that much
deeper. Our members support elected leaders who understand what it means to work hard to
support a family in these tough times. Our members look for elected officials who have the
Congressman Arcui
March 19, 2010
Page 2

courage to stand up to lies, distortions and political scare tactics. Your vote this Sunday will tell
them what kind of elected official you are. Please do not disappoint them or us.

Sincerely,

Denis Hughes Terrence Melvin Lillian Roberts

President Secretary-Treasurer Executive Director
NYS AFL-CIO NYS AFL-CIO AFSCME DC 37

Ann Marie Taliercio James Bertolone Tony Gingello

President President Exec. Director & President
UNITE HERE Local 150 Rochester & Genesee Valley ALF AFSCME Council 66

Richard Iannuzzi Robert Madore Bruce Both

President Director President
NYSUT UAW Region 9A UFCW Local 1500

Maria Neira Joe Ashton Raglan George, Jr.

1st Vice President Director Executive Director
NYSUT UAW Region 9 AFSCME DC 1707

Michael Mulgrew Paul Collins, Jr. Greg Floyd

President President President
United Federation of Teachers Sheet Metal Workers Local 137 Teamsters Local 237

Jack Ahern John Bulgaro Jeremiah Comer

President President Intl. Representative
New York City CLC Teamsters Local 294 IBEW

William Pienta Chris Erickson Kevin Finnegan

Director, District 4 Business Agent Political Director
United Steelworkers IBEW Local 3 1199 SEIU United Healthcare
Workers East

Peter Ward Christopher Shelton Wilfredo Larancuent

President Vice President Manager
New York Hotel Trades Communication Workers of Laundry, Dry Cleaning, and
Council America Dist. 1 Allied Workers Joint. Board

Jerry Dennis Rowena Blackman-Stroud Richard Lanigan

President Chapter President Secretary-Treasurer
SEIU Local 200 United UUP OPEIU Local 153

DH:ac/opieu-153