[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 18482]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       EMPLOYER MANDATE HARDSHIP

  (Mr. REICHERT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, our economy is struggling, and 
unemployment is near 10 percent. Yet the health care proposal being 
considered in Congress asks our job creators, the small businesses of 
America across this country, to pay a new 8 percent tax.
  Last week, in the Ways and Means Committee, I proposed to exempt 
small businesses from this penalty tax if it would result in businesses 
having to lay off workers, cut wages, or reduce jobs.
  America's businesses are hurting, and we're asking them to pay more 
taxes? Yet, my amendment was rejected. Requiring small businesses to 
pay a penalty tax is no way to help them stay in business and create 
jobs. American workers will be harmed. Workers will bear the new cost 
through lost jobs and smaller wages.
  I urge my colleagues to reject this bill. Americans need the 
confidence that their jobs are not in jeopardy, that we are working to 
protect and strengthen their health care, while supporting the small 
businesses that create jobs.
  And these aren't speaking points. That's just some straight shooting 
from the sheriff.

                          ____________________