News
From CongresswomanNydia M. Velázquez
Representing New York's 12th Congressional District - Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens
Ranking Democratic Member, House Small Business Committee
News
From Congresswoman
Nydia M. Velázquez
Representing New York's 12th Congressional District
- Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens
Ranking Democratic Member, House Small Business Committee
For Immediate
Release
March 22, 2005
CONTACT: Kate Davis, Allyson Ivins, (202) 225-4038
Velázquez
Applauds House Committee Passage of Association Health Plan Legislation
WASHINGTON - Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-N.Y.), Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee, today issued the following statement on last week's passage of Association Health Plan (AHP) legislation in the House Education and the Workforce Committee:
"The number one challenge facing small businesses today is their ability to access affordable health care," Congresswoman Velázquez said. "In fact, 6 out of every 10 uninsured Americans are in families headed by self-employed workers, or small business employees. There is no question that there is a growing insurance gap between Corporate America and small business - and it is time for this health care crisis to be addressed."
"I commend the Members of the House Education and the Workforce Committee for taking a huge step forward in approving this necessary legislation. H.R. 525, which closes the gap by allowing small firms to band together to purchase health care, will help millions of workers and their families find the answer to spiraling insurance costs. It is my hope that the House will act quickly to pass this much-needed bill.
"Protecting small businesses and the self-employed should be a top priority. The House has passed AHP legislation three times in the past four years with overwhelming bipartisan support. However, we have much more to do to ensure that this bill is not again pushed aside in the process. Members of the 109th Congress must work together in a bipartisan manner to ensure that this legislation reaches the President's desk and is signed into law.
"In order to make this happen, the Senate needs to step up to the plate and follow through on their commitment to the health and well-being of our nation's small business owners. The Senate committee with jurisdiction over this matter has never held a hearing on AHP's and the chamber has never taken a vote to pass this important legislation. It is my hope that Senator Enzi, the new chairman of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, will remove this barrier by making AHP's a national priority.
"President Bush needs to do his part as well - we can only do so much to reinforce the importance and urgency of the situation. He has told us time and time again, on the campaign trail and in his Small Business Agenda, that he is committed to providing overdue health care relief. We have seen that when President Bush really wants to move something forward he can. The small business community deserves to know what specific steps the President is taking - a good start would be a call to Senator Frist to get a commitment from the Majority Leader that this legislation will be brought to the floor.
"This health care crisis has clearly been going on for too long. We need to stop simply talking about the issue and start acting, in order to make access to affordable health care a reality for our nation's 23 million small business owners. As the economic engines of this country - small businesses deserve to be confident in their ability to provide health care for themselves, their families and their employees."
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