Senators Promise to Continue the Fight for Affordable Health Care
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 20, 2006—Two senators who have been leading the fight on Capitol Hill for affordable health insurance for small businesses today promised NFIB members that the fight is far from over.
"It's not whether we're going to win it, but when we are gong to win it," Sen. Ben Nelson (Neb.) told NFIB members gathered in Washington, D.C., for the 2006 National Small-Business Summit, presented by Visa USA.
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| Wyoming Sen. Mike Enzi |
Nelson cosponsored a bill by Sen. Mike Enzi (Wyo.) to create Small-Business Health Plans, which would allow small businesses to join together across state lines through membership in trade associations, like NFIB, to purchase health coverage for their families and their employees. SBHPs would give small businesses the same purchasing clout and administrative efficiencies that big businesses currently enjoy. The bill came to the Senate floor earlier this year, but fell just five votes short of the 60 votes needed to proceed under Senate rules.
With staunch opposition from some lawmakers on the Senate floor, Nelson acknowledged the fight was going to take "more time than we thought." Opponents to the bill ague that SBHPs will interfere with state mandates, though Enzi called those arguments "smokescreens." Enzi told Summit attendees that of the states offering some form of a small-business health plan, most include the state-mandated screenings and medications for certain health conditions.
Today, NFIB members will visit Capitol Hill to meet with their legislators, and Nelson called on business owners to help lawmakers understand the need for affordable health insurance. "I challenge you to connect the dots for lawmakers today so they understand how important this is for your employees and the future of your business."
Enzi thanked NFIB and its members for all the support and asked for continued grassroots efforts. "Your organization is playing a key role in this, and you still need to." Pressure works, Enzi promised, and "a lot of people (senators) are sweating it out that their only vote for small business this year was against small business."
Both Enzi and Nelson agreed the health-insurance crisis won't go away. Congress must face this issue now, before the problem escalates, Nelson said: "There are two kinds of Americans today when it comes to health insurance—those who don't have it and those who have it, but are afraid that they will lose it."
