McKeon Amendment to Protect Small Businesses Rejected by Democrats

Democrats on the House Committee on Education and Labor opposed an amendment by Congressman Buck McKeon that would have protected small businesses and working families by authorizing Small Business Health Plans. McKeons amendment was offered during the committees markup of the House Democrats health care proposal and aimed to make it easier for small businesses to associate with other businesses in their trade or industry, giving them increased bargaining power.

Small Business Health Plans would increase small businesses bargaining power with health care providers, give them freedom from costly state-mandated benefit packages, and lower their health care costs by as much as 30 percent benefits that large corporations and unions already enjoy because of their larger economies of scale.

Instead of supporting McKeons amendment, Democrats chose to implement a pay or play mandate on small business that forces them to buy into health plans approved by government bureaucrats or to face the threat of an 8% tax.

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• McKeon
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