Press Release                                                           

Contact:  Jay Schmitt, ISAIAH Director
              612-940-1542

Interfaith leaders from ISAIAH confront
 US Chamber of Commerce over Health Reform
Sixty-five leaders from ISAIAH will join more than 500 other faith and community leaders from over 25 states in asking for the Chamber for a last minute conversion on health reform 

4:00 p.m., Wednesday June 24^th, US Chamber of Commerce, 1615 H St, Washington, DC:  Clergy and lay leaders of ISAIAH, an interfaith coalition of almost 100 congregations in Minnesota are taking the unprecedented step of going to DC in reaction to the Chamber of Commerce’s opposition to Obama’s health reform proposals.  “We usually concern ourselves with issues here in the Twin Cities and the St. Cloud region.  But this is an historic chance for health reform - and we don’t want to let anyone, not even the Chamber of Commerce keep us from turning the corner on this,” said Rev. Grant Stevensen, president of ISAIAH. 

“The Chamber of Commerce is an important part of our public life, and we often agree with them, but this is an issue where the desires of the market must yield to the needs of our people,” says Stevensen.  “We will be praying that God will rekindle the fires of compassion in our business leader’s hearts, and that they will join us in supporting a public health insurance option.”  A recent poll showed 75% of Americans support the choice of a public health insurance option.

“ISAIAH recognizes healthcare as the clear moral issue of our time.  We believe we are being given a chance to make right one of the longest standing wrongs in America - that is that there are two nations, one served by the near miraculous medicines, the other languishing without aid or comfort in the shadows,” said Stevensen.    

###