06/17/2004
President Bush, Speaker Hastert and Secretary Chao Unite in Calling for Passage of Small-Business Health Plans
During a lunchtime address to small-business owners attending the NFIB National Small Business Summit, a chorus of support joined President George W. Bush as he called for passage of Small-Business Health Plans. President Bush’s comments underscored comments by U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Labor Secretary Elaine Chao who addressed NFIB members earlier in the day.
“NFIB was honored to host President Bush at today’s National Small Business Summit luncheon,” said NFIB President Jack Faris. “As a one-time small-business owner, he’s walked the walk and now he talks the talk of a small-business owner. Much like the job numbers over the last several months bear out, President Bush knows that small businesses are growing our economy and creating jobs, and he’s working to make the road to success easier for small business to navigate. NFIB has a strong ally in this White House and we look forward to working with President Bush to see Small-Business Health Plans and other proposals become a reality.”
Touching on one of the most important issues for Main Street, President Bush argued forcefully for passage in the U.S. Senate of Small-Business Health Plans, which would allow small-business owners to band together across state lines in order to form the same large purchasing pools for health care that are already available to big business, big labor, and big government. The proposal, also known as Association Health Plans, has passed the U.S. House of Representatives seven times, and the President has said he would sign the bill into law should it ever make it out of the Senate.
During the day, NFIB members also heard from other leaders in the fight for Small-Business Health Plans, including U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Labor Secretary Elaine Chao. During their remarks, both acknowledged the roles and realities facing America’s small-business owners, recognizing that a healthy small-business sector is essential to the nation’s economic health.
As the second day of the Summit got underway, NFIB members from across the country attended policy sessions on health care and business insurance, participated in workshops geared to enhancing understanding of federal agencies and federal regulations, and heard first-hand from some of the most powerful and interesting people in Washington about how the federal government can help small business continue to drive the nation’s economy.
Faris concluded, “NFIB members are some of the of the country's most politically active entrepreneurs and Main Street is a powerful and consistent voting bloc. Today, they got an up-close look at how health care, liability reform, tax-relief and federal regulatory policies are shaping this year’s elections. That birds-eye view is certain to fire up the troops as they head back to their hometowns to elect pro-small-business candidates.”
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The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) is the nation’s largest small-business advocacy group. A nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded in 1943, NFIB represents the consensus views of its 600,000 members in Washington and all 50 state capitals. NFIB’s 2004 National Small Business Summit will be held June 16-18 in Washington, D.C.
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