Final Vote on Health Care Scheduled – Industry Targeted

Today, the House released a draft reconciliation bill that will be used to move the Senate's Health Care Reform package that passed last December through Congress. A vote is expected by Sunday, March 21 in the House. If the bill passes on Sunday, it would be sent to the President for his signature, and the Senate would then begin the process of debating a reconciliation bill to amend the new law. The process that Democratic leaders are taking is unprecedented for such a large piece of legislation and a provision that removes the small business exemption, commonly known as the Merkley Amendment, remains included in the bill. AGC is urging Congress to eliminate the provision for the following reasons: unions and construction associations who endorsed the amendment represent less than 15 percent of total construction employees and represent less than 3 percent of America's construction companies; the five employee and $250,000 threshold is out of line with the House bill and the Senate bills passed out of committee; the provision is out of line with other human resource laws and out of step with very common concerns about the impact of government regulations on small businesses; and, finally, the provision is an inexcusable and direct attack on small businesses in the industry most battered by the recession. AGC urges members to continue to communicate on the need to remove this provision via the AGC Legislative Action Center.