[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 20]
[House]
[Pages 26907-26908]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   HEALTH REFORM FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

  (Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of national 
health reform to help relieve the economic burden of rising health 
costs on small businesses.
  Nationwide, 25 percent of the uninsured, 11 million people, are 
employees of firms with less than 25 workers. Because they lack 
bargaining leverage, some small businesses pay 18 percent more than 
larger businesses with the same health insurance.
  If H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care Act for America, is enacted, 
small businesses will be able to find affordable health insurance 
coverage in the health insurance exchange.
  Under the legislation, businesses with up to 100 employees will be 
able to join the health insurance exchange, benefiting from group rates 
and a greater choice of insurers. There are 16,600 small businesses in 
the district I represent that will be able to join that health 
insurance exchange.
  H.R. 3962 will allow small businesses with 25 employees or less and 
average wages of less than $40,000 to qualify for tax credits up to 50 
percent of the cost of providing health insurance. There are 14,600 
small businesses in our Texas district that will qualify for these 
credits. That's why it's important we pass health care.

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