Washington, D.C. – Today, three of the nation's leading consumer, business and labor organizations announced that they will work together to urge action from political leaders in a partnership called Divided We Fail. AARP, Business Roundtable and SEIU will use the influence of their over 50 million combined memberships to amplify the message that attaining health and long-term financial security is vital for all Americans and these issues must be included in the national political debate.

Divided We Fail is a national effort designed to engage the American people, elected officials and the business community to find broad-based, bi-partisan solutions to the most compelling domestic issues facing the nation – health care and the long-term financial security of Americans. The partnership will encompass traditional grassroots work, advertising in national outlets and in the primary states, and online activities which will engage the public, business and elected officials in the debate, encouraging public leaders to offer solutions.

"We are here today to put political leaders on notice that Divided We Fail's joint membership--representing over 50 million Americans--are demanding action on critical domestic issues," said Bill Novelli, AARP's CEO. "We all agree that the health and long-term financial security crisis in America needs to be addressed by our political leaders and these individuals need to be held accountable for taking these issues on."

"High health care costs threaten the long-term prosperity of America's consumers, the economy and businesses," said John J. Castellani, Business Roundtable President, "They are a top concern of America's business leaders, and we're pleased to join AARP and SEIU today to catalyze new thinking, and to urge our nation's leaders to help find solutions."

"The winds of change are blowing," said Andy Stern, International President of SEIU. "The rising cost of health care is not just a problem – it's a crisis; and this partnership is evidence that Americans from all backgrounds are ready for fundamental, not incremental change."

Novelli summed the efforts up by saying, "Congress and the President must act soon before our options become too few and the costs prohibitive. None of us can do this alone – this partnership is vital to the success of realized real change. United we succeed, divided we fail."

More information about these efforts can be found at the newly launched website, http://www.dividedwefail.org/.