Buck McKeon – source: Buck McKeon 25th District CA

Majority Health Care Plan will Hurt Small Business

I’m back in D.C. after a nice warm weekend in California. The weather has changed significantly here in Washington, D.C., with winter just around the corner. Aside from the weather, not much has changed. Republicans are still urging the Majority to reach across the aisle to craft bipartisan health care reform legislation.

Under the current proposals being considered, Democrats aim to grow the federal government and include government-run health care. Within their plans are elements detrimental to small businesses, with hundreds of thousands of dollars in new mandates and crippling taxes, including a $544 billion surtax.

Everyone agrees that our country must reform our health care system, but we must do that in responsible ways. In the face of a 26 year high unemployment rate, it is unthinkable to strap America’s small businesses with outrageous taxes.

Small businesses represent more than 99 percent of all employers, employing 51 percent of private-sector workers and 40 percent of workers in high-tech jobs. Small businesses are highly regarded for job creation, responsible for producing 60 to 80 percent of all the new jobs. We need to save jobs, not kill them. There are better ways of achieving reform.

By: Buck McKeon