January 22, 2007
Senator Harry Reid
Majority Leader
U.S. Senate
S-221 Capitol Building
Washington, DC 20510
Senator Mitch McConnell
Republican Leader
U.S. Senate
S-230 Capitol Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Majority Leader Reid and Republican Leader McConnell:
On behalf of the National Federation of Independent Business, the nation's leading small-business advocacy group, I am writing to urge you to include critical small-business relief as part of any minimum-wage legislation that passes the U.S. Senate.
During Senate consideration of H.R. 2, a bill that raises the minimum wage by $2.10, please be mindful that small-business owners oppose the wage hike because it would leave them with fewer choices in how they compensate their employees and when they decide to hire new ones. Wage hikes historically have had a negative impact on certain industries that offer the most entry-level jobs--including restaurants, grocery, and retail stores--many of which are run by small-business owners.
We were encouraged that the Senate Finance Committee took an important step in this debate by passing the Small Business and Work Opportunity Act of 2007. This bill contains growth-oriented tax relief that allows small businesses to invest and stay competitive. We hope that you can continue in this direction during debate on the floor.
In addition, should you decide to consider any additional revenue offsets, I hope you will be mindful of the consequences of any tax increases on small businesses. While revenue offsets may serve to restrain fiscal spending, any other possible burdens on small businesses--in addition to the wage hike--will be harmful to the continued growth of this very important industry.
Thank you for your leadership on this issue, and we look forward to working with you as the 110th Congress moves forward.
Sincerely,
Dan Danner
Executive Vice President
Public Policy and Political
