"As a small business owner, I am experiencing first hand the difficulties of obtaining health care for myself and my employees," said Sherriann Cumberbatch, the owner of Star Bright Laundry in Port Richmond, Staten Island and a member of the Small Business United for Health Care Coalition. "Small businesses have had to go it alone for too long when it comes to health care. We need health care reform in 2009 that will guarantee quality, affordable care that works for small businesses -- having the choice of a public health insurance plan will go a long way to creating a more stable, dependable system for small businesses and their employees."

"I enthusiastically support Health Care for America Now's principles for reform, which include quality coverage you can afford with comprehensive benefits that meet your needs, the choice of private or public health insurance plans, and equal access to care in all communities," said Senator Gillibrand. "This year provides the greatest opportunity we've had in decades to achieve health care for all, and we can't pass it up. Now that we have a President who's made it a priority to achieve quality, affordable health care for all this year, my colleagues and I must step up and do the right thing for the people we represent."

"We are grateful to have our US Senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, fighting to pass a truly inclusive health care system in the Senate this year, a system where immigrants have the opportunity to contribute to and access health care they can afford," said Ana Maria Archila, the co-Executive Director of Make the Road New York. "Covering all people who are working in the economy, and their families and children is simply the right thing to do and good health care policy."

"Small businesses are bearing the brunt of the burden when it comes to health care costs," said Sara Cullinane, organizer of Small Business United for Health Care coalition, a group of 300 small business owners, spearheaded by Make the Road New York, pushing for health care reform. "The small employers who do offer coverage to their employees have seen their premiums rise dramatically, while the quality of coverage has declined. A public health insurance option would give small businesses real choice and true leverage, increase competition, and drive down costs for everyone."

"As an uninsured small business owner, I have had to forgo treatment in two different medical emergencies and have gone without preventative care for too many years because I cannot cover the cost of a hospital bill or a doctor's visit without health insurance," said Carmen Ledesma, owner of Parisien Salon, a small business in Woodside, Queens. "We pay the price dearly for this health care crisis in lost productivity, an unhealthy workforce and a community deprived of adequate preventative care. We're willing to contribute for health care, but we need a shared commitment among all stakeholders. The cost we can't afford is the cost of doing nothing."

The organizations held the roundtable today to brief Senator Gillibrand on the highest priority health care concerns of New York working families and to develop a common strategy to press for health care reform on the national level. The roundtable participants were: 32BJ SEIU, 1199 SEIU, ACORN, AFSCME DC 37, AFL-CIO, Citizen Action of NY, Children's Defense Fund of NY, Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU Healthcare, Community Service Society, Communication Workers of America, Make the Road NY, Metro Health Care for All Campaign, MoreOn.Org, National Physicians Alliance, NYC For Change, New Yorkers For Fiscal Fairness, New York Immigration Coalition, Raising Women's Voices for the Health Care We Need, Small Business United for Health Care, and UFCW.

Small Business United for Health Care is a new coalition of over 300 small business owners across New York working towards a comprehensive solution to the state's - and the nation's - health care woes. We are a project of Make the Road New York, www.maketheroadny.org, and affiliated with the national Main Street Alliance, www.mainstreetalliance.org. Our coalition is committed to quality, affordable health care for small businesses, our employees, our families, and our communities. We believe it will take a system of shared responsibility where government, the business community, and employees all pitch in together to make the health care system work. We're committed to ensuring that members of New York's Congressional Delegation honor the concerns of small businesses when making decisions about health reform in 2009.

For more information, visit http://mainstreetalliance.org/wordpress/small-business-united-for-health-care/

Health Care for America Now -- the nation's largest health care campaign -- is made up of more than 950 organizations representing more than 30 million people nationwide. President Obama and more than 190 Members of Congress support HCAN's principles for health care reform. All across the country and in New York State during the April Congressional recess, HCAN supporters are sponsoring rallies, town halls, marches, and other events to stress the urgent need for health care reform in 2009 -- reform that finally puts our health care needs before insurance company profits.