During final day of "Standing with Working Families" tour, Edwards discusses his plan to make sure every American has quality, affordable health care

Henderson, Nevada – At a town hall in Henderson this morning, John Edwards outlined his bold plan to take on the drug and insurance companies and guarantee quality, affordable health care to every man, woman and child in America. Edwards has been traveling across Nevada as part of his "Standing with Working Families" tour to rally Nevadans to stand with him in his fight to give working and middle class families a voice in Washington. In February, Edwards became the first candidate to propose a plan for universal health care.

"In the richest country in the world, it's just wrong that we have 47 million Americans without health care and millions more worried about losing the care they have," said Edwards. "Most families are one bad break, such as a lost job or a serious illness, away from going right off a cliff. Our health care system is rigged by the big drug companies and insurance companies to benefit themselves at the expense of the American people. As President, I'll take on the entrenched interests standing in the way of change and make sure every person in America gets the care they need."

Edwards' universal health care plan not only covers everyone, but it also reduces costs throughout the system so that middle class families and businesses can actually afford insurance. His plan will save an average family up to $2,500 a year and eliminate $130 billion of wasted health care spending each year. Edwards is honest about what his plan will cost – $90 to $120 billion – and he will pay for it primarily by rolling back President Bush's tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.

Born to a working class family, Edwards understands the struggles facing working families today. From guaranteeing universal health care to creating good paying jobs and enacting trade policies that put the interests of workers, not multinational corporations first, Edwards will take on powerful entrenched interests and fight for families like the ones he grew up with.

Edwards heads into the Nevada caucus with growing support. Polls show Edwards in a dead heat, and he has seen unexpectedly large crowds at his events this week. The campaign has added experienced field staff in Nevada. Additionally, supporters and volunteers, along with the Carpenters, Steelworkers, Transport Workers and Communication Workers, have been hard at work making phone calls and knocking on doors to spread Edwards' message.

Edwards will return to Nevada this evening and tomorrow, including a just-announced event in Elko today, as part of a three-day coast to coast tour to share with voters his plans to take our country back from powerful entrenched interests and make our government work for working families and the middle class. From January 17th to January 19th, Edwards will visit Nevada, California, Oklahoma, Missouri, Georgia and South Carolina to demonstrate his broad, coast to coast strength and his advantage as the best candidate to win the general election.

The details of Edwards' events are below:

THURSDAY, JANUARY 17TH, 2008

6:15 PM PST
Countdown to Caucus Event
Carpenters Hall
1150 Terminal Way
Reno, Nevada

8:30 PM PST
Countdown to Caucus Event
Highland Manor of Elko
2850 Ruby Vista Dr.
Elko, Nevada

FRIDAY, JANUARY 18TH, 2008

9:00 AM PST
Countdown to Caucus Event
John Edwards for President Nevada headquarters
4160 Pecos Road
Las Vegas, Nevada

"Today, we have witnessed for a second time President Bush turn his back on health care for children. Rather than fight for the health and welfare of our children, Bush has decided to defend the status quo in Washington – a status quo that leaves countless of families and children without the affordable health care they need.

"There's something very wrong when in a country of so much wealth, our president has chosen to ignore the 9 million American children – including nearly 50,000 in Iowa – who lack health care.

"President Bush's second veto of the S-CHIP bill just goes to show why it's so important that our next president has the strength and courage to stand up and fight the lobbyists and special interests who have stood in the way of truly universal health care for decades.

"This has to stop. When I am president, I will unite the nation in an effort for truly universal health care where no family or child is left behind, and I will not rest until every American has the quality, affordable health care they deserve. That is the One America I believe in, and that is the America I will fight for when I am president."

Manchester, NH – As part of "Building a Better America Week," John Edwards announced today a bold policy to improve the quality of health care in America by taking on health insurance companies and preventing the abuses and gaps in health coverage that put millions of Americans at risk.

"My proposal for universal health care will cover every man, woman and child in America – but that's not enough," said Edwards. "Right now, even families that have health insurance are often unprotected from catastrophic events, as insurers reject legitimate claims, impose coverage caps, and look for technicalities to cancel policies.

"The truth is, the American health care system is broken because wealthy health insurance corporations and their lobbyists have rigged the system against the American people," continued Edwards. "I have spent my entire life fighting and beating those same special interest groups to protect the rights of regular Americans, and that's exactly what I'll do as president."

Edwards is the only candidate for president who has never taken a dime from Washington lobbyists or special interest PACs, and he's the only candidate the American people can trust to stand up and fight for them against big health care companies.

Under the Edwards plan, insurance companies will be required to sell insurance to everyone, regardless of their preexisting conditions, and prevented from denying coverage after a condition develops. Edwards will put a stop to the practice of charging more to individuals with certain occupations or with pre-existing conditions, and will set national accounting standards requiring insurers to spend at least 85 percent of their premiums on patient care. Edwards will empower consumers by forcing insurance companies to be more honest and transparent about what they will ultimately cover and making sure all insurers guarantee comprehensive benefits. Edwards also called for an updated bill of rights for patients and providers.

To strengthen oversight and maintaining insurer accountability, Edwards will create Health Care Markets and offer advocates to help patients negotiate with insurance companies. And to increase competition and stop insurance company monopolies, Edwards will block mergers that could hurt consumers, doctors and hospitals. Also, his new public insurance plan will increase competitive pressures on private insurers to hold down their costs and deliver better coverage.

For further details on Edwards plan to take on health insurance companies, please see the "Taking on Health Insurance Companies to Help Families" paper included below.

Taking on Health Insurers to Help Families and Prevent Abuses

The American health care system is broken. There are 47 million Americans who lack health insurance, and 18,000 people die every year as a result. Health care costs are skyrocketing and premiums are up 90 percent since 2000. Even families with insurance are often unprotected from catastrophic events when insurers fight legitimate claims, impose coverage caps, and seek excuses to revoke coverage when its needed most. Half of families entering bankruptcy are driven there by high medical costs. Many people who have health insurance are "underinsured" and postpone needed health care because of their meager coverage. [Census Bureau, 2007; IOM, 2002; KFF, 2006; Warren et. al., 2005; Consumer Reports, 2007]

As senator, John Edwards championed the Patients' Bill of Rights to fight managed care and insurance company abuses. Now more than ever, the health insurance industry needs to be kept honest. While companies have an obligation to treat their customers with fairness and dignity, too often companies put their own profits and executive pay first. Today, Edwards outlined his plan to make sure that families with insurance have the health care safety net they pay for and need.

Insurance Industry Abuses: The current health care system is broken, often letting down even families with insurance. The abusive behavior of insurance companies includes:

Lack of Competition: In 299 of 313 markets recently surveyed, one health plan controls at least 30 percent of the market for health maintenance organizations and preferred provider organizations. In the last 12 years, the Department of Justice has only challenged two of more than 400 insurance company mergers. There is a merger pending in Nevada that would put 80 percent of the state's HMO market in the hands of one insurance company. High levels of market consolidation raises concerns that the insurance market may not be competitive, hurting the health care system. [AMA, 2007; Velazquez, 2007]

Huge Levels of Executive Pay: As premiums skyrocket and some patients are denied care they need, insurance company CEOs are often paid tens of millions of dollars a year. In 2006, it was reported that the CEO of one of the world's largest insurers, UnitedHealth Group, had been awarded an astonishing $1.1 billion in stock options, enough to cover roughly 750,000 uninsured children with health insurance for one year. [AFL-CIO, 2007; NY Times, 10/16/2006]

Fighting for Families' Rights to Basic Insurance

John Edwards has fought special interest groups his entire career and knows that we need a health care system that works for everyone. His health plan will reform the health insurance industry to help us all get the insurance we need. Today, he proposed new laws to prevent abuses, stronger enforcement of insurance rules, and more competition and choice in insurance markets. Americans will no longer be on their own against insurance companies.

Tough New Insurance Laws:

It is also time to protect doctors and hospitals from insurance company abuses. By making it difficult for health care providers to collect on their claims, insurance companies make it difficult for patients to get the care they need. Complex forms, long hold times on the phone, and inappropriate denials of payment for needed treatments are just some of the insurance company tactics. Edwards will develop strict rules for insurance companies that will make it easier for doctors and hospitals to get paid for and deliver needed care.

Stronger Enforcement:

More Competition

"On this day we are reminded of the terrible loss from HIV/AIDS, a loss that is almost beyond understanding. HIV is a preventable disease - but an estimated 40,000 new HIV cases were reported in the U.S. last year - and many more may not have been counted, and 2.5 million were reported around the world. What's more, HIV/AIDS is a treatable disease - yet 17,000 Americans and 2 million people globally died from it in 2005. This is a fight for people's lives. We have a moral imperative to do much more and do it much better.

"The cause of World AIDS Day has always been to break the silence - because as with any moral issue, silence is betrayal. The theme of this year's World AIDS Day is 'leadership,' and I couldn't agree more that strong leadership is key to combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic. I believe the United States must be a leader in the global fight against HIV/AIDS.

"If we stand up and rise to the challenge together, I have faith we can end the HIV/AIDS epidemic. I look forward to the day when World AIDS Day is an occasion only to remember those we have lost in years past, not to fear the epidemic that is still in front of us."

As president, Edwards will invest $50 billion over five years to ensure universal global access to HIV/AIDS medicine, and will end policies that protect the profits of big drug corporations at the expense of people dying of HIV/AIDS in developing countries. He will also strengthen America's scientific research agenda, which has suffered drastic funding cuts under the Bush Administration. To address HIV/AIDS in the United States, Edwards will guarantee health insurance to every American so they can receive the care they need when they need it, and will expand Medicaid to cover HIV-positive individuals before they reach later stages of AIDS. Edwards supports science-based prevention strategies to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS, including comprehensive, age-appropriate sex education and harm-reduction programs that provide high-risk individuals with access to clean syringes. He will increase resources for fighting the epidemic in African-American and Latino communities, where infection rates have dramatically risen, as well as in the LGBT community.

"I want to say a quick word about health care because I've watched this sparring that's going on with Senator Obama and Senator Clinton. I don't want to get involved in that but I want people to know that there are real differences between us on this issue and what those substantive differences are.

"I want to make sure caucus goers are aware that I was the first candidate to come out with a universal health care plan in February, and I'm proud that I lead on this issue. My plan is universal - I think that's a threshold requirement for health care reform in this country. That's why my proposal has a mandate that requires everyone to be covered.

"Senator Obama's plan is not universal. He does not require that everyone be covered. As many as 15 million Americans will be left without coverage. And I've seen an estimate that up to 90,000 Iowans would be left without coverage. So there's a fundamental difference between us on the policy.

"Senator Clinton's plan, which came out in September, is very similar to the plan I announced in February. But I haven't seen any specifics about how her mandate would work or how she would enforce the mandate.

"I have laid out exactly how my mandate would work. The fundamental structure of my plan provides subsidies and the subsidies go up to about $100,000 of income. So for lower income families they'll be basically 100 percent subsidized, and the subsidy decreases for up to about $100,000 of income. The way we bring people into the system is anytime they have contact with the health care system or the government they can enroll - they go to the hospital to the emergency room, they sign their children up to school.

"I think it's completely legitimate and fair for caucus goers to know where our policy differences are, and to the extent those differences continue to exist, I'll continue to make them clear. But I want to make certain that people know that I have a very strong positive agenda and I will remain focused on talking about what I want to do as president."

"We need true universal health care reform that covers every single man, woman, and child in America. It is wrong to leave anyone without the care they need. A universal system will work better for all of us – delivering better care at lower cost.

"Barack Obama's plan leaves out 15 million people. The truth is that some people will choose not to buy insurance even though it's affordable, knowing that the rest of us will pay for their emergency room visits.

"But it is just as bad to say that everyone will have insurance without a plan to get there. Hillary Clinton says her plan will cover everyone through a 'mandate' but does not provide even the most rudimentary idea much less a detailed plan of how this 'mandate' would work. To get fundamental change in our health care system, we need a fundamental change in our politics. That starts with being clear and direct about what we are going to do and how we are going to do it."

Edwards' truly universal health care plan will ensure that every American has health insurance. He will require proof of insurance when income taxes are paid and when health care is provided. Families without insurance will be enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP or another targeted plan or be assigned a plan within new Health Care Markets.

Families who lose coverage will be expected to enroll in another plan or be assigned one. For the few people who refuse to pay, the government will help collect back premiums with interest and collection costs by using tools like the ones it uses for student loans and taxes, including collection agencies and wage garnishment.

Manchester, NH – In New Hampshire today as part of "America Belongs to Us" week, Senator John Edwards unveiled his proposals to take on health insurance companies and highlighted why he is the one candidate the American people can trust to stand up to the big corporations who have used their money and lobbyists to rig the system in Washington at the expense of hardworking American families. Edwards called for stronger insurance laws to prevent abuses and ensure that everyone can get the insurance they need, strengthening enforcement of insurance rules, and the creation of more competition and choice in insurance markets.

"The American health care system is broken," said Edwards. "Even families with insurance are often unprotected from catastrophic events, as insurers fight legitimate claims, impose coverage caps, and look for technicalities to cancel policies. Half of families entering bankruptcy today are driven by high medical costs.

"I have spent my entire life battling special interest groups to protect the rights of regular Americans. In courtrooms, I stood with families who needed a voice against armies of insurance company lawyers. In the Senate, I championed the Patients' Bill of Rights to fight managed care and insurance company abuses. I've seen first-hand how far too often health insurance companies will put profit and executive bonuses above the medical needs of their customers.

"Last week, Governor Romney proposed even further deregulation of the health insurance industry – a plan that could lead to even more insured Americans without the care they need. This is clearly the wrong approach. We need tough new insurance laws to prevent abuses and ensure that Americans are no longer on their own against insurance companies."

Under the Edwards' plan, insurance companies will be required to sell insurance to everyone, regardless of their preexisting conditions, and prevented from denying coverage after a condition develops. Edwards will put a stop to the practice of charging more to individuals with certain occupations or with pre-existing conditions, and will set national accounting standards requiring insurers to spend at least 85 percent of their premiums on patient care. Edwards will empower consumers by forcing insurance companies to be more honest and transparent about what they will ultimately cover and making sure all insurers guarantee comprehensive benefits. Edwards also called for an updated bill of rights for patients and providers.

To strengthen oversight and maintaining insurer accountability, Edwards will create Health Care Markets and offer advocates to help patients negotiate with insurance companies. And to increase competition and stop insurance company monopolies, Edwards will block mergers that could hurt consumers, doctors and hospitals. Also, his new public insurance plan will increase competitive pressures on private insurers to hold down their costs and deliver better coverage.

Edwards' proposals for taking on the insurance companies are part of the "America Belongs to Us" week, in which he will lay out detailed policy proposals to address specific issues that matter that matter most for American families, including the rising cost of home heating oil, protecting our children from unsafe toys and ensuring access to safe and affordable prescription drugs.

For further details on Edwards plan to take on health insurance companies, please see the "Taking on Health Insurance Companies to Help Families" paper included below.

Taking on Health Insurers to Help Families and Prevent Abuses

The American health care system is broken. There are 47 million Americans who lack health insurance, and 18,000 people die every year as a result. Health care costs are skyrocketing and premiums are up 90 percent since 2000. Even families with insurance are often unprotected from catastrophic events when insurers fight legitimate claims, impose coverage caps, and seek excuses to revoke coverage when its needed most. Half of families entering bankruptcy are driven there by high medical costs. Many people who have health insurance are "underinsured" and postpone needed health care because of their meager coverage. [Census Bureau, 2007; IOM, 2002; KFF, 2006; Warren et. al., 2005; Consumer Reports, 2007]

As senator, John Edwards championed the Patients' Bill of Rights to fight managed care and insurance company abuses. Now more than ever, the health insurance industry needs to be kept honest. While companies have an obligation to treat their customers with fairness and dignity, too often companies put their own profits and executive pay first. Today, Edwards outlined his plan to make sure that families with insurance have the health care safety net they pay for and need.

Insurance Industry Abuses: The current health care system is broken, often letting down even families with insurance. The abusive behavior of insurance companies includes:

Lack of Competition: In 299 of 313 markets recently surveyed, one health plan controls at least 30 percent of the market for health maintenance organizations and preferred provider organizations. In the last 12 years, the Department of Justice has only challenged two of more than 400 insurance company mergers. There is a merger pending in Nevada that would put 80 percent of the state's HMO market in the hands of one insurance company. High levels of market consolidation raises concerns that the insurance market may not be competitive, hurting the health care system. [AMA, 2007; Velazquez, 2007]

Huge Levels of Executive Pay: As premiums skyrocket and some patients are denied care they need, insurance company CEOs are often paid tens of millions of dollars a year. In 2006, it was reported that the CEO of one of the world's largest insurers, UnitedHealth Group, had been awarded an astonishing $1.1 billion in stock options, enough to cover roughly 750,000 uninsured children with health insurance for one year. [AFL-CIO, 2007; NY Times, 10/16/2006]

Fighting for Families' Rights to Basic Insurance

John Edwards has fought special interest groups his entire career and knows that we need a health care system that works for everyone. His health plan will reform the health insurance industry to help us all get the insurance we need. Today, he proposed new laws to prevent abuses, stronger enforcement of insurance rules, and more competition and choice in insurance markets. Americans will no longer be on their own against insurance companies.

Tough New Insurance Laws:

It is also time to protect doctors and hospitals from insurance company abuses. By making it difficult for health care providers to collect on their claims, insurance companies make it difficult for patients to get the care they need. Complex forms, long hold times on the phone, and inappropriate denials of payment for needed treatments are just some of the insurance company tactics. Edwards will develop strict rules for insurance companies that will make it easier for doctors and hospitals to get paid for and deliver needed care.

Stronger Enforcement:

More Competition

"Autism affects families from every walk of life. Sometimes I talk about the Two Americas – but when it comes to fighting for families affected by autism and autism spectrum disorders, we must come together as One America to deliver on our national promise – helping every child realize their full potential." -- John Edwards

Autism and autism spectrum disorders affect an astonishing 1 in 150 children. More children than ever before – a 700 percent increase over the last decade – are being classified as having an autism spectrum disorder. We need to learn more about why the number of children diagnosed with autism and autism spectrum disorders has been growing. We know that early intervention is often crucial to helping children with these diagnoses reach their full potential, but the education and health care resources needed to help them and their families are strained to capacity. For families, caring for a child with autism can be expensive and emotionally draining. While Congress took an important step last year by dedicating more than $900 million to address autism over the next five years, more can and must be done. [IDEAData, 2005; CDC, 2007]

John Edwards believes every child deserves the opportunity to reach his or her potential. Helping everyone reach personal independence and assume social responsibilities is a responsibility we all share. His Promise and Potential plan will:

Guarantee True Universal Health Care

We have two health care systems in this country today – one for families who can afford the very best care and one for everyone else. Edwards has proposed a detailed plan to take on the big insurance companies and HMOs and guarantee that every American can get the care they need, when they need it. As president, he will help guarantee coverage of autism care in Medicaid and under private insurance. Edwards' plan will also create "advanced medical homes" – doctors and health care providers that will ensure children have regular pediatrician visits and increase the likelihood that developmental disabilities will be diagnosed, and addressed, sooner. [AAP, 2001]

An All-Hands-on-Deck Research Challenge

We do not know enough about the causes of autism and autism spectrum disorders. In the Senate, Edwards was a leader in supporting research funding and promoting awareness for Fragile X Syndrome, which has been identified as a cause of autism and autism spectrum disorders. As president, he will issue an all-hands-on deck research challenge to unravel autism's mysteries and follow wherever the science takes us.

Fund Special Education so Students with Autism Can Excel

Special education funds have not kept pace with the rising number of children with autism and too often, schools must make difficult choices between competing priorities. Edwards will put the federal government on a steady path to full funding of its share of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Edwards will strengthen the workforce serving children with autism – investing more in recruiting, training and sufficiently paying teachers, therapists, psychologists and others working in the special education field.

Ensure a Continuum of Care with Lifelong Supportive Services

Government education services for people with disabilities end at age 21, even though the need does not, especially for many of those with autism. Thus, families are left to care for their adult children with disabilities largely on their own. Edwards will work to develop ongoing adult education vocational and recreational programs for those with autism. Edwards' plans for reforming the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and strengthening federal housing policy will expand the supply of affordable supportive housing for people with disabilities, including adults living with autism.

Support Families Living with Autism

Autism affects families, not just individuals. Local communities and nonprofit groups have done all they can to provide social support systems that are so important for many families with autism. We need to study which support models are effective, make sure health care providers know what works and help public-private partnerships replicate their success. Enormous burdens are placed on ordinary Americans who provide care for loved ones with disabilities like autism. As president, Edwards will support respite care services that provide home visits from nurses or other aides to give caregivers much-needed breaks and establish an Internet clearinghouse and education services to give families more information about available services.

"It is an insult to every American that legislation to increase the availability of affordable generic drugs has been stalled in Congress as a result of lobbyists and the pharmaceutical industry. But while this delay is unacceptable, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise. We all know the system in Washington is broken – our government has been rigged by corporations and their lobbyists and it is failing the American people.

"It's time for our leaders in Washington, beginning with Senator Clinton, to show some real strength and stop defending lobbyists who are blocking America's critical need for more affordable medications. Instead of protecting corporate greed, the Democratic Party needs to stand on principle and lead the way to real reform by refusing, as a party, to take campaign contributions from Washington lobbyists.

"I have never taken a dime from these lobbyists because I know whose side they're on. I renew my challenge for Senator Clinton to join me in returning our government to the American people by saying 'no' to the corrupting influence of money from Washington lobbyists.

"And, to be clear, when I am president, this game where Congress sacrifices the health care interests of the American people for the financial interests of lobbyists will come to end. I'm going to say to members of Congress and members of my administration, including my cabinet: I'm glad that you have health care coverage and your family has health care coverage. But if you don't pass universal health care by July of 2009 – in six months – I'm going to use my power as president to take your health care away from you. There's no excuse for politicians in Washington having health care when the American people don't have health care."

The Edwards plan goes further to help families than either Clinton or Obama; New plan introduced as part of "Promise of a Better America Week"

Manchester, NH – Today, Senator John Edwards outlined his bold policies for a more family-friendly America with universal paid family and medical leave, universal pre-kindergarten for four-year-olds, more affordable care for other children and job benefits for independent workers. Among the most significant policy proposals of the Edwards plan is for at least eight weeks of paid family and medical leave that will help American workers balance their jobs and their families.

"The broken system in Washington has forgotten America's families for too long," said Edwards. "In the past generation, an unprecedented number of women have taken jobs outside the home, changing the face of the American workforce. But while two-thirds of mothers are now working, it has never been harder for American workers to balance the needs of their jobs and their families.

"No parent should have to go back to work before their newborn is old enough to go into child care or to lose their job if their child needs to go to the emergency room. Millions of families cannot afford to take unpaid time off, but only 8 percent of American workers have access to paid family leave. The vast majority of countries in the world offer paid leave – it is long past time that America made sure that paid leave is there for every worker."

The Edwards plan is also more bold and family friendly than other candidates' plans. It goes further faster by setting a national goal of eight weeks of paid leave by 2014 and it provides more federal resources – $2 billion a year – to help states meet that goal.

Edwards' plan for balancing work and family is based on three core proposals: (1) offering universal paid family leave, (2) creating universal preschool and affordable child care and (3) promoting economic fairness for independent workers.

Universal Paid Family Leave: Edwards will ensure that workers have time off when they need it by working with states to offer eight weeks of paid family and medical leave to all American workers. He will give an additional 13 million workers the right to take family leave without losing their jobs. Finally, Edwards will require all businesses to offer their workers a minimum of seven paid sick days a year.

Universal Preschool and Affordable Childcare: Edwards will help make quality preschool education as common as kindergarten by helping all states offer "Great Promise" universal high-quality programs for four-year-olds. He will help parents pay for child care by more than doubling the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, and will help improve child care quality by encouraging teacher certification and training for care givers.

Economic Fairness for Independent Workers: Edwards supports updating benefits for independent workers, who are largely excluded from retirement, health care, unemployment insurance, sick days and other benefits of traditional employment. Edwards has called for the creation of Health Care Markets and new subsidies so independent workers can get affordable health insurance, offering a new portable universal retirement account, modernizing our unemployment insurance program, and extending sick days and family leave benefits to part-time workers. Edwards will also crack down on the misclassification of workers as independent contractors that allows employers to avoid paying taxes and benefits.

Edwards' proposals for balancing work and family were introduced during the second day of the campaign's "Promise of a Better America Week." Yesterday, Edwards kicked off the week with his plan to restore the sacred promise to America's veterans. Edwards will travel to Iowa on Wednesday, where he'll hold a series of town hall meetings focusing on the need to rebuild the American middle class and help American manufacturers. On Thursday in Nevada, Edwards will highlight his plans to ensure we meet the educational promise of our children.

Below, please find the full fact sheet on John Edwards' plan to help American workers balance work and family.

Balancing Work and Family for a Better America

The face of the American workforce has changed in the past generation as women have entered the workforce in unprecedented numbers. Two-thirds of mothers are now working, most of them full-time. Between 1979 and 2000, middle-income families with children added over 500 hours of work a year, about 10 hours a week. Greater economic participation is a good thing, but American workplace laws are now badly outdated. Paid maternity and paternity leave, flexible work schedules, and affordable child care are too rare. As a result, it has never been harder for American workers to balance the needs of their jobs and their families. [EPI, 2007; DOL, 2007]

Caregiving Falls on Women

The sad reality is that the burden of balancing work and family often falls particularly heavily on working women. Working mothers earn 27 percent less than men. Although both men and women are taking on more caregiving responsibilities than in the past, women spend up to 50 percent more time caregiving on average. [Blades, Rowe-Finkbeiner, 2006; FCA, 2001]

Nearly Alone in the World on Paid Maternity Leave

The U.S. fails to fund the minimum of six weeks of maternal leave recommended by doctors for both mothers and newborn children. Many parents must rush back to work, leaving their newborn babies in suboptimal or ad hoc care. In many states, day care centers are prohibited from accepting children that young due to the risk of infection. By not guaranteeing any mothers paid leave, America departs with a worldwide consensus of 169 countries to stand with only five countries including Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Swaziland. [ACOG, 2007; NPWF, 2003; IHSP, 2007]

Parents Are Forced to Choose Between Their Jobs and Their Children

No parent should have to choose between paying the bills and caring for a new child or seriously ill family member, but only 8 percent of American workers have access to paid family leave. Forty percent of working parents report that their jobs have negatively affected their children's health by, for example, forcing them to miss doctor's appointments or getting care later than they needed it. Often, sick children are left home alone. Parents whose children have extended illnesses requiring hospital stays frequently find themselves without options. Family leave is not just for parents, either: nearly two-thirds of workers under the age of 60 expect to care for an aging relative in the future. [IWPR, 2007; Heymann, 2000; NPWF, 2003]

John Edwards believes it is past time for America to update our work-family policies to support the way families work today. Today, he outlined his policies for a truly family-friendly America with paid family and medical leave, universal pre-kindergarten for four-year-olds and more high-quality, affordable child care, and job benefits for independent workers.

Creating Paid Family and Medical Leave

The Family and Medical Leave Act guaranteed up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for a new child or illness in the family. Despite this important step forward, less than half of workers are eligible and three out of four eligible workers still do not take leave because it is not paid. Too few new mothers can follow the medical recommendation that they stay at home with newborns for at least six weeks. Employers suffer when family and medical concerns force workers to quit, as they pay an average of 25 percent of workers' salaries – and in retail trades, 43 percent – to replace them. Parental care during children's illnesses improves health outcomes, but three out of five working parents do not care for their children themselves. Parents with paid leave are five times more likely to care for their children when they are sick. [DOL, 2003; IWPR, 2007 and 2003; Heymann, 1999]

John Edwards will ensure that workers have time off when they need it. He will:

Provide Paid Leave to All Workers by 2014

Edwards will create a $2 billion National Family Trust to achieve the goal of offering paid family and medical leave benefits to all workers by 2014. The Trust will help states create paid leave systems with challenge grants to help finance benefits, technical assistance and public awareness campaigns to inform workers of the new laws. Rather than subsidizing piecemeal tax credits or employer incentives, the National Family Trust will support states that offer minimum benefits, including eight weeks of leave for new parents. Edwards will also make the federal government a model employer with a generous paid leave benefit. [IWPR, 2007; LPWF, 2007]

Expand Job Protection under the Family and Medical Leave Act

The Family and Medical Leave Act exempts businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Edwards will expand the right to job-protected family and medical leave to 13 million more workers by reducing the threshold for exemption for the law from 50 workers to 25 workers. Because workers today often work one or more part-time jobs, he will also extend the protection to long-term part-time workers.

Offer Paid Sick Days

Nearly half of all private-sector workers – and nearly 80 percent of low-wage workers – cannot miss a day's work without losing pay or, in many cases, risking their jobs. Edwards will require businesses to offer their workers seven paid sick days a year, with pro-rated leave for part-timers. [IWPR, 2007]

Universal Preschool and Affordable Child Care

More than 11 million children under five are in regular child care. Children whose mothers work spend an average of 36 hours a week in child care. But despite the growing need for educational care during early childhood and an emerging consensus about its importance for children's healthy development, the quality, affordability and standards for child care have not changed in over 30 years. [Brauner, et al., 2004]

Universally Available for Four-Year-Olds

To make quality preschool education as common as kindergarten, Edwards will help all states offer "Great Promise" universal high-quality programs for four-year-olds. Programs will be free for low-income families and tuition will be charged on a sliding scale for higher-income families. Great Promise programs will develop children's early academic skills, as well as helping emotional and physical development, with parental involvement and lead teachers who have four-year college degrees. [CDF, 2005]

Affordable Child Care

Child care is a huge expense for the majority of families with children under 5, costing up to $10,000 a year on average. Today, most families get less than $1,000 from the government's child care tax credit. Edwards will help parents pay for child care by more than doubling the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit to pay up to 50 percent of childcare expenses up to $5,000. He will make it partially refundable to benefit low-income working families and let stay-at-home parents get the credit to help pay for child care for newborn infants. [NACCRRA, 2006]

High-Quality Child Care

Decades of study has produced a consensus about what constitutes quality preschool: small group size, good child-staff ratios, and well-trained caregivers. Yet most of the country's child care is rated between poor and mediocre. Edwards will help other states duplicate North Carolina's innovative Smart Start program, which improves child care quality with certification and teacher training that leads to higher pay, reduced turnover and better outcomes for children. [Brauner, et al., 2004; Helburn, Bergmann, 2003; Smart Start, 2007]

Economic Fairness for Independent Workers

Nearly a third of our workforce is now in nontraditional jobs, including employees who are part-time, seasonal, temporary, or on-call, freelancers and independent contractors. Women hold the majority of many of these jobs, which are often cheaper for businesses but have disadvantages for workers. Temporary workers earn less than they would were the same job permanent and are much less likely to have health and pension benefits. Nearly half of all contingent workers would prefer a permanent, full-time job. [BusinessWeek, 5/23/2007; BLS, 2005]

Updating Benefits for Independent Workers

Independent workers are largely excluded from the benefits of traditional employment: retirement, health care, unemployment insurance and sick days. Edwards will:

Cracking Down on Misclassification

A Department of Labor study revealed that up to 30 percent of employers were misclassifying their employees as independent contractors to avoid paying taxes and benefits. Edwards will crack down on this practice, requiring companies to document their payments to subcontractors, increase penalties for employers who routinely pay "off the books," and give workers more rights to question their status. [DOL, 2000]

Second Major Iowa Ad Highlights Plan to Hold Congress Accountable for Passing Universal Health Care

Des Moines, Iowa – Senator John Edwards begins his second wave of Iowa television advertisements later today with an ad that features Edwards' plan to hold Congress accountable for passing universal health care within six months of him taking office. The ad will run statewide.

"We all want universal health care – but just having a plan is not enough," Edwards said. "We've seen plans fail before in Congress, and they will again unless we have a new approach. We have to be willing to take on the drug companies, insurance companies, and their Washington lobbyists who killed reform last time. But if you're defending the system, taking money from their lobbyists and giving them a seat at the table, reform is just not going to happen."

On the first day of Edwards' administration, he will submit legislation that ends health care coverage for the president, all members of Congress, and all senior political appointees in the legislative and executive branches of government on July 20th, 2009 -- unless Congress has enacted universal health care reform.

Edwards will require Congress to pass universal health insurance that meets four principles: (1) It must be truly universal; (2) Anyone who has health care must be able to keep it and pay less for it; (3) Anyone who doesn't have health care must get it, with help if they can't afford it; (4) Doctors and patients, not insurance companies and HMOs, must have control of health care decisions.

The ad runs 30 seconds and is posted on Edwards' Iowa webpage – www.JohnEdwards.com/Iowa. The transcript of the ad follows:

"When I'm president I'm going to say to members of Congress and members of my administration, including my cabinet: I'm glad that you have health care coverage and your family has health care coverage. But if you don't pass universal health care by July of 2009 – in six months – I'm going to use my power as president to take your health care away from you. [Applause] There's no excuse for politicians in Washington having health care when you don't have health care. I'm John Edwards and I approve this message."

Today's announcement builds on Edwards' growing momentum in Iowa over the past month, including:

• October 15: The Iowa State Council of the SEIU endorses Edwards, followed quickly by the endorsements of 11 other SEIU state councils representing more than a million SEIU members.
• October 18: Edwards wins the endorsement of the Iowa Postal Workers Union – representing workers in all 99 Iowa counties.
• October 27: Edwards becomes the first candidate to visit – and take questions from Iowans – in all 99 Iowa counties.
• November 9: Caucus for Priorities, representing 10,000 Iowa caucus goers, endorses Edwards.
• November 9: Edwards becomes the first candidate to announce County Steering Committees in all 99 counties, reaffirming the growing strength of his statewide organization.
• November 10: At the Iowa Democratic Party's Jefferson Jackson Dinner, Edwards is the first candidate to speak and delivers a rousing call for Americans to rise up and meet "the great moral test of our generation" – ensuring that our kids have a better life than we've had.
• November 11: Edwards releases an 80 page policy book entitled: "The Plan to Build One America," and announces that more than 100,000 copies of the book will be delivered to Iowa caucus goers in the coming weeks.