[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book II)]
[September 12, 2008]
[Pages 1195-1197]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks Following a Discussion on Health Savings Accounts and an 
Exchange With Reporters in Oklahoma City
September 12, 2008

    The President. I want to thank our participants for joining me here 
in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. I want to thank the mayor, Members of Congress, United States Senator. Most importantly, I want to thank women 
entrepreneurs. Seventy percent of all new jobs in America are created by 
small-businesses owners. Today with us are

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small-business owners, people who've taken risk in order to realize 
dream, and in so doing have provided job opportunities. These are the 
job creators of the vibrant economy here in Oklahoma.
    One of the real issues--there's a couple of issues that face 
obviously a small-business owner. One, are they--do they have a product 
anybody wants to buy? But also taxes, high taxes make it harder to stay 
in business. I strongly urge the Congress to make the tax relief we 
passed permanent so that taxes won't increase on small businesses.
    But another issue that I hear all the time when I'm talking to 
small-business owners is the issue of health care costs. If you listen 
to anybody who owns a small business, they will tell you that the rising 
cost of health care is troubling not only to their balance sheet, but to 
their soul, because they want their employees to have the best. A small-
business owner really does care a lot about their employees.
    Today we're talking about a way for small businesses and 
individuals--and large businesses, for that matter--to help to deal with 
rising health care costs. Our goal is to make sure health care is 
available and affordable. And once--one way to help deal with rising 
health care costs is what's called health savings accounts. These are 
ingenious products to help people save, incent people to, you know, take 
care of their bodies, and also make sure that if there's a catastrophic 
illness, they're taken care of. These are products that enable somebody 
to, you know, move from one job to the next and keep their health care 
with them, which is important in the 21st century. They're ways for 
employees to take care of their employees.
    In Oklahoma, a lot of people don't know about health saving 
accounts, and one of the reason I've come down to this part of the 
country is because I do want people to understand they're available and 
they're good. About 6 million people across the country are using health 
savings accounts. The biggest increase is with small-business owners.
    And so today we've had a good discussion with owners who've got a 
health savings account, people who are looking at health savings 
account. I introduced Sandy, 
head of the SBA here, to folks, and if somebody wants to really learn 
about an HSA, just go on hsa.gov, which is an SBA site, so people can 
see whether or not it makes sense for your business or your family.
    Anyway, I do want to thank you all very much for, one, being 
pioneers; two, being risk takers; and three, giving me a chance to hear 
your thoughts and concerns and--about a very innovative way for small 
businesses and individuals to be able to better afford health care.
    Thank you, all.
    Guy was trying to ask a question, but he was in violation of the no 
question policy. [Laughter] Right, Deb [Deb Reichmann, Associated 
Press]?

Republican Vice Presidential Nominee Sarah Palin

    Q. Did you watch the Palin interview?
    The President. As I said, no question policy. [Laughter] She did 
just fine.

Note: The President spoke at 10:33 a.m. at the Presbyterian Health 
Foundation Conference Center. In his remarks, he referred to Mayor Mick 
Cornett of Oklahoma City, OK; Sen. Thomas A. Coburn; and Sandy K. 
Baruah, Acting Administrator, Small Business Administration. A portion 
of these remarks could not be verified because the tape was incomplete.

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