[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 110 (Wednesday, September 15, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1621]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        IN RECOGNITION OF SAL ROSSELLI, LABOR LEADER OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. GEORGE MILLER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 14, 2004

  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate 
Sal Roselli, a friend of mine and a good friend to working people 
throughout the Nation, who will receive the honored title of Labor 
Leader of the Year in Contra Costa County, California by the AFL-CIO, 
on September 17, 2004. Sal is receiving this honor in recognition of 
the contributions he has made to bring high quality health care to all 
Americans.
  Sal is the President of the Service Employees International Union 
Local 250, AFL-CIO. Since he became President in 1988 that Union has 
become the fastest growing health care union in the Nation, having seen 
its membership rise from 25,000 to 100,000. During this time his union 
has established new standards on wages, benefits and quality of care 
issues through the collective bargaining process. SEIU Local 250 has 
played a leading role in advancing social justice issues such as 
immigrant rights, health care access, peace and affirmative action.
  Sal's commitment to working people began in the late 1960's when he 
worked with Dorothy Day of the Catholic Worker's Movement, followed by 
a year of community organizing with VISTA. He moved to the Bay Area in 
the early 1970's, and by 1984 he was president of the Alice B Toklas 
Lesbian/Gay Democratic Club, which grew to be the largest in the 
country.
  As a national vice-president of SEIU, Sal has helped bring a new 
sense of urgency within the labor movement to address one of our 
Nation's greatest shames--the lack of health insurance coverage for 45 
million people. His union's 100,000 health care members are committed 
to bringing quality health care to every American.
  I invite my colleagues to join me in saluting Sal Roselli in 
recognition of his service to America's health care needs.

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