Posted on 5/14/2004, 2:29:07 AM by RWR8189
"America's small business owners have a clear choice next November between President Bush's consistent support of policies to help small business owners provide health care for their employees and John Kerry's election year pledges that defy his own 19 year record of blocking pro-small business policies." Steve Schmidt, Bush-Cheney '04 Spokesman |
Small Businesses Support The President's Policies To Increase Health Coverage
The National Federation of Independent Businesses Supports The President's Approach. "According to the National Federation of Independent Businesses, over 120 organizations, representing over 12 million employers and 80 million workers, strongly support the Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2003, bipartisan legislation to strengthen and expand Association Health Plans (AHPs)." (www.nfib.org; "Association Health Plan Coalition," Accessed 5/11/04)
The National Association Of Manufacturers Supports The President's Approach. "'The main benefit of an [association health plan] is that small businesses can band together and obtain quality health care at a lower cost by taking advantage of the same economies of scale, bargaining clout, and administrative efficiency that larger companies and unions enjoy under the ERISA law,' said NAM health care lobbyist Neil Trautwein. 'AHPs are an important tool to improve access to health care and help make it more affordable, which should be the top priority in a time of double-digit annual premium increases.'" (NAM Press Release; "Nam Praises Legislation To Create Association Health Plans," 3/6/03)
Kerry Has Opposed Efforts To Help Small Businesses Provide Health Care
In 2001, Kerry Voted Against Amendment Providing $70 Billion For Tax Credits For Small Business To Purchase Health Insurance. The Collins amendment (to the Domenici, R-N.M., substitute amendment) would provide an additional $70 billion over 10 years for tax credits to small business to purchase health insurance. It also would make health insurance fully deductible. The Domenici amendment would cap discretionary spending at $660.7 billion in fiscal 2002 and includes an $845.7 billion contingency fund -- including the Medicare trust fund surplus -- that could be used for debt reduction, tax cuts or unforeseen spending. It also calls for $1.6 trillion in tax cuts over fiscal years 2002-2011 and $60 billion in tax cuts in fiscal 2001.
Amendment Would Have Given Small Businesses Tax Credits To:
2001 Amendment Was Most Recent Senate Vote On Small Business Tax Credits For Health Care. (Thomas Website, www.Thomas.loc.gov, Accessed 3/25/04)
Kerry Failed To Co-Sponsor Other Recent Efforts To Provide Tax Credits For Small Businesses To Buy Health Insurance For Their Employees.
Kerry Voted Twice Against Allowing Self-Employed Full Deduction Of Health Insurance Costs.
Kerry Voted Five Times Against Cap On Punitive Damages For Small Businesses.
Kerry Against Requiring Agencies To Do Cost-Benefit Analyses For Proposed Rules That Impact Small Businesses.
President Bush Has Proposed Help For Small Businesses To Provide Health Care
Association Health Plans. "The President supports legislation that provides for the creation of association health plans, to enable small employers to pool together to offer health insurance options. CBO estimates that by 2008, 7.5 million people would obtain health insurance through AHPs and 600,000 would be newly insured." (Cost estimate of H.R. 660, the Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2003, www.cbo.gov, 7/11/03)
Health Savings Accounts. "Through the new Medicare law, the President led efforts to enact new Health Savings Accounts that offer flexible, affordable insurance options for small businesses and individuals. The Treasury Department estimates that HSA as enacted plus the proposed HSA deductibility will result in over one million newly insured Americans. In addition, data from the IRS show that in the year 2001, 73 percent of Medical Savings Accounts, which were an early version of the HSA, were purchased by Americans who were previously uninsured for six months or more." (IRS Announcement 2002-90, "Proving 2002 Not Cut-Off Year for Archer MSA Pilot Project Under I.R.C. Section 220," 9/30/02)
Kerry Is Not A Supporter Of Small Business
Kerry Only Received A 35 Percent Lifetime Rating From The U.S. Chamber Of Commerce. (U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Website, "How They Voted Scorecards," www.uschamber.com, Accessed 3/8/04)
Kerry Earned A Zero Percent Rating On 2003 Scorecard. (U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Website, "How They Voted Scorecards," www.uschamber.com, Accessed 3/8/04)
Kerry Has A Miserable 28.4 Percent Lifetime Rating From National Federation Of Independent Business Through The 107th Congress. ("How Congress Voted," National Federation Of Independent Business, 99th 107th Congresses)
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