Legislation Affecting Small Businesses

Senator John Sununu (R-NH) brings an extensive background in science, engineering, and small business to his work in Washington. In the Senate, John’s key assignments include the Commerce Committee, the Banking Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. He was nominated by President Bush to serve as one of two Congressional Members in the United States delegation to the 59th General Assembly of the United Nations.

In New Hampshire and across the nation, small businesses are the engine driving our economy, providing the overwhelming majority of jobs for Americans, purchasing, and producing goods and services, and fighting to bring affordable health care coverage to their employees. In these tough economic times, it is essential that we provide strong incentives for those businesses to spend, build, hire new employees, and improve productivity. Congress has taken several positive steps, but more work lies ahead.

It took a Halloween 2007 deadline to push Congress into action, but consumers, and small businesses in particular, can breathe easier now that legislation I wrote to ban Internet access taxes is the law of the land. The seven-year ban also strengthens tax protections for e-mails and instant messaging. Still, the fight to make this ban permanent must continue, because taxing the Internet is wrong for consumers and wrong for the economy.

More recently, Congress approved a bipartisan economic package containing tax relief for families and individuals and encouraging new business investment by giving small businesses greater deductions for new facilities and equipment. By focusing our effort, we were able to develop a bipartisan package that was quickly enacted into law. Tax rebates returned money to the pockets of families across America, allowing them to keep a little bit more of their own money.

In the months ahead, we need to set our sights on health care by helping small businesses increase coverage for employees, and giving consumers more choices and decision-making power. Earlier I cosponsored new legislation that gives individuals tax credits to purchase health insurance, allows small businesses to join together to negotiate for better prices for health care plans, and permits small business to buy health insurance from any state.

Government can’t create prosperity out of thin air. But by keeping our focus on low taxes, incentives for small business, and making health care more affordable, we can create a better environment for entrepreneurs and small businesses. They are the ones who create opportunity by making investments that create new jobs, improve productivity, and strengthen our economy.

They are the key to America’s strength.

Please note: the Alliance does not support or oppose the aforementioned legislation. We believe that it is important for our members to be informed about critical legislation currently being developed by Members of Congress — legislation that could impact you, your business, and your family. We realize that you may agree or disagree with the opinions and ideas presented by legislators. However, it is important that you express your opinions and respond to the survey so your voice can be heard. If you would like to speak up about this or other pieces of legislation, click here to contact us and vocalize your opinion.