[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 90 (Wednesday, June 18, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H5473]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        SUPPORT H.R. 660, THE SMALL BUSINESS HEALTH FAIRNESS ACT

  (Mr. CANTOR asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, this week, the House has a chance to help 
out over 20 million uninsured workers that are employed by small 
businesses across our Nation. H.R. 660, the Small Business Health 
Fairness Act, will allow small employers to band together to access 
more affordable, more efficient health insurance for their companies.
  This bill will help small business owners like Kevin Maxwell from my 
district in Midlothian, Virginia. Earlier this year, Mr. Maxwell wrote 
to me about the escalating health care costs for his employees. He is a 
partner in a small petroleum parts sales company, employing about 13 
people. Mr. Maxwell told me that the health insurance costs will 
increase from $1,100 to $1,400 per month, per family. Two or three 
years of these types of increases will very quickly force Mr. Maxwell 
to stop offering health care to his employees.
  As a small businessman, Kevin pays more because he does not have the 
insurance purchasing power that large companies have.
  According to the National Federation of Independent Businesses, small 
businesses pay 17 percent more for health benefits than large 
companies. That price disparity forces small companies to make tough 
choices about the benefits they offer.
  Mr. Speaker, I applaud people like Kevin Maxwell. It has not been 
easy, but help is on the way.

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