01/31/2006
As President Bush prepares for the State of the Union address Tuesday night, NFIB members are also preparing: They have a checklist of issues they'd like Congress and the president to address in 2006.
With last summer's hurricanes and two Supreme Court nominations in 2005, the news from Congress in recent months has grabbed headlines. With Chief Justice John Roberts now leading the Supreme Court, Samuel Alito confirmed Jan. 31, and long-term recovery continuing in the Gulf Coast region, small-business owners know the time is right for action on many critical business issues:
Small-Business Health Plans
NFIB members consistently cite the cost and access of health insurance as their No. 1 issue. NFIB is pushing hard to make Small-Business Health Plans a reality, to give you a marketplace solution to the health-care crisis facing our country. Thanks to your support, this legislation easily passed the House last year and President Bush firmly supports it. We're working now toward a Senate vote this year.
Many small-business owners are also turning to health savings accounts to make an impact on their bottom lines, and NFIB is working to expand access to HSAs, as well.
Permanent death-tax repeal
A planned Senate vote was postponed when Hurricane Katrina struck last year. NFIB is ready this year, determined to defeat this burdensome tax that costs small business so much money every year. Like SBHPs, permanent death tax repeal has also passed the House, thanks to the support of NFIB members nationwide.
Extending tax cuts
NFIB and our members helped pass critical small-business tax relief in 2001 and 2003, lowering individual income tax rates, dramatically improving small-business expensing and reducing capital-gains and dividend rates. All these tax-relief provisions come with an expiration date, however. NFIB is fighting to extend and make permanent this tax relief, so that you face a certain tax policy and make the best use of your revenue.
Legal reform
NFIB knows that lawsuit abuse is the fastest growing concern of small-business owners, and with good reason: Just one frivolous lawsuit could cost a small business $100,000 or more, and force you to close your doors forever. This year, NFIB is pressing for a Senate vote on the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act, to penalize lawyers who file frivolous suits and prevent venue shopping. We're also working for Senate passage of the "Cheeseburger Bill" -- legislation aimed at ending the practice of lawsuits that blame businesses for their customers' eating habits.
Watch NFIB.com to learn how you can take action on these issues.
