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Sen. Kerry, Rep. Klein Help Small Businesses Employ Military Reservists

2009-11-09T17:38:00.008-06:00

Sen. John Kerry [D-Mass., pictured], a senior member and former chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, and Congressman Ron Klein [D-Fla.] today announced their introduction of a bill to support small businesses that employ military reservists.

The Small Business and Military Family Assistance Act of 2009 will provide tax incentives for small-business employers who make up the salary difference for their reservist employees while they’re serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. While many large businesses can afford to supplement the lower wages that reservists earn while in active duty, small-business owners struggle to offer the same service.

"Our legislation supports the small businesses that stand by our men and women in uniform when reservists are deployed," said Sen. Kerry. "It keeps our service members employed, and small businesses open for business. In the face of a tough economy, we can do more to support the employers and reservists who make such profound contributions to our economy and national defense."

"One of our most important responsibilities is to stand behind our military service members," Rep. Klein added. "This legislation does exactly that by ensuring that reservists and their families do not see a drop in income when they are called up to active duty.

"Many small businesses voluntarily choose to support our troops by making up the difference between military and civilian pay when one of their employees is called to active duty service. This is the right thing to do, and these businesses should be supported and rewarded with tax incentives. This selfless dedication to our service members proves once again that small businesses are not only the heart of our economy; they are the soul of our communities."

"MOAA strongly supports this employer wage credit extension, as it recognizes the sacrifices American employers endure in supporting their activated Guard and Reserve employees," said Vice Admiral Norb R. Ryan Jr., USN [Ret.], president of the Military Officers Association of America.

Small businesses employ nearly 20 percent of all reservists who hold civilian jobs. Many employers pay their employees who are called up for active duty a salary differential.

For example, if an employee was making $60,000 before being called up and makes $40,000 in the military, the employer will make up the $20,000 difference. Sen. Kerry’s legislation provides small businesses with fewer than 50 employees, a tax credit for 20 percent of the pay differential. The maximum credit is $4,000.

SOURCE: Senator John Kerry
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Democratic Senators, Congresswoman, Small-Business Owners Discuss Impact of Health Insurance Reform on Small Businesses

2009-11-04T11:40:00.020-06:00

Yesterday, Democratic Senators Tom Harkin [D-Ia., pictured] and Mary Landrieu [D-La.], and Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson [D-Ill.] joined Mike Draper, a small-business owner from Des Moines, Ia.; Gwendolyn Barnes, a small-business owner from Shreveport, La.; Dr. Ken Brantley, a small-business owner from Richmond, Va.; and other small-business owners from across the country at a press conference to discuss how health insurance reform will benefit small businesses.

Recent studies indicate that small businesses are likely to see their premiums rise 15% in the coming year -- double the rate of last year’s increase. Small businesses employ roughly 40% of the private labor force in America, making it crucial that we work to ensure affordability of health coverage for this central part of the American workforce.

"The status quo in health insurance spending for America’s small businesses is intolerable and it is unsustainable," said Sen. Harkin. "Today, we have a simple message for small-business owners across America: Help is on the way, and it comes in the form of a health reform plan that puts a stop to the discriminatory insurance industry practice of jacking up premiums for small businesses by up to 200 percent when an employee gets sick, or because the business hires a woman.

"Our bill will end the practice of denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions or increasing premiums based on health status, gender, or industry. As I have said many times, the biggest winners in a reformed health system will be small-business owners and their employees."

Sen. Landrieu concurred."Small businesses are suffering from skyrocketing health insurance premiums that are eating into their bottom lines and threatening their survival," she declared. "As we continue to make progress toward comprehensive health care reform, Democrats are working to address the health care needs of small businesses. And while we may not yet completely agree on everything, one thing we can all agree on is that doing nothing is simply not an option."

"Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and right now health care costs are simply too much to bear," said Rep. Halvorson. "If we truly want our small businesses to help lead us out of our current economic troubles, we must act to reform health care. Small-business owners and their employees are depending on it. We must act now."

"We try to be flexible, but it's an expensive way to do it," Draper explained. "Right now, health insurance is a volatile commodity, such as oil -- the price swings, the price increases -- and it takes up a larger portion of a company’s budget. If the government were to provide a more stable option and take the market out of things, it would help settle business’s books; it would help them better predict the future. As a business owner, I wouldn't have to worry about finding policies, knowing what is covered, what isn't covered, and how much the company will end up paying."

"We started off with everybody on a group plan, but as the premiums continued to climb and climb, my employees had to start dropping out, so we switched to individual plans," said Barnes. "But one of my employees was denied for a pre-existing condition. And we've had trouble with the insurance company. When my daughter needed a surgery, they mysteriously took her off the surgery schedule. That's not right. It’s time to fix health care -- for small businesses like mine, and for the communities we serve."

"The lack of affordable health insurance hurts millions of small-business owners like me," Dr. Brantley added. "I would love to hire several highly skilled staff to work with me. This would balance the workload, expand our care, and create more jobs. It is virtually impossible, however, to find qualified applicants who will accept a job offer without health insurance benefits.

"The high cost of health care hurts my ability to create new jobs here in Virginia and retain skilled employees. Without competition and meaningful health care legislation, we will continue to see rising health insurance premiums each year that harm businesses and squeeze families."

GoodBiz113's take: Thankfully, President Barack Obama is committed to working with Congress to pass comprehensive health reform this year in order to control rising health care costs, guarantee choice of doctor, and assure high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans -- including small-business owners and their employees. To learn about President Obama's plan to deliver health care stability and security to all U.S. citizens, go to: http://bit.ly/HealthCareStabilitySecurity.

SOURCES: U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, White House
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New Report Highlights Specifics of How Health Insurance Reform Will Reduce Costs for Small Businesses

2009-10-29T16:34:00.017-05:00

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius [pictured] today released a new report, "Lower Premiums, Stronger Businesses: How Health Insurance Reform Will Bring Down Costs for Small Businesses." The report outlines the many ways in which health insurance reform will lower health care costs for small businesses, and is available now at HealthReform.gov [http://www.healthreform.gov/].

"Small businesses drive our economy and create jobs, but they are struggling as health care costs continue to rise," Secretary Sebelius said. "The high cost of care is making it difficult or impossible for these businesses to offer care or grow their business. Health insurance reform will bring costs down and give small businesses the relief they need."

The report notes:

* Small businesses, the backbone of job creation in our economy, are disproportionately burdened by the financial strains caused by rising health care costs. On average, small businesses pay up to 18 percent more than large firms for the same health insurance policy. This difference is due, in part, to high broker fees [which can be up to 10 percent of premiums] and health plan administrative costs that are three times those in the large-group market.

* In a recent national survey, nearly three-quarters of small businesses that did not offer benefits cited high premiums as the reason.

* Nearly half of workers covered by a small-business employer have insurance that limits the total amount that the plan will pay for medical care, and nearly one in 10 small-business workers have a health plan that does not offer prescription drug coverage.

* Workers in small firms are more likely to shoulder burdensome out-of-pocket health care costs. Thirty-six percent spent more than 10 percent of their household income on out-of-pocket medical expenses in 2007, compared with 27 percent of workers in larger firms.

Health insurance reform will bring down costs for small businesses by creating a health insurance exchange; providing a small-business tax credit; ending the "hidden tax" on small businesses that provide health insurance; and preventing arbitrary premium hikes. Reform will also ensure that Americans have stable, secure insurance coverage, limit out-of-pocket spending, and eliminate caps on benefits.

To learn more about how health insurance reform will benefit small businesses and read the complete report, visit http://bit.ly/LowPremiumsStrongBiz.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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President Obama: Small Business Must Be at Forefront of the Recovery

2009-10-24T10:34:00.013-05:00

In this week’s address, President Barack Obama spoke of how important small businesses are to the economy and described the steps his administration is taking to support them.

Health insurance reform will allow small businesses to purchase insurance for their employees through exchanges -- which will increase the quality of coverage while lowering the costs -- and reform will provide tax credits to those businesses.

To free up credit, the President called on Congress to increase the size of various SBA loans, and he announced that the administration will be making more credit available to the small local and community banks that many small businesses depend on.

Following, are President Obama's remarks:

* * *

All across America -- even today, on a Saturday -- millions of Americans are hard at work. They're running the mom-and-pop stores and neighborhood restaurants we know and love. They're building tiny startups with big ideas that could revolutionize an industry -- maybe even transform our economy. They are the more than half of all Americans who work at a small business, or own a small business. And they embody the spirit of possibility, the relentless work ethic, and the hope for something better that is at the heart of the American Dream.

They also represent a segment of our economy that has been hard-hit by this recession. Over the past couple of years, small businesses have lost hundreds of thousands of jobs. Many have struggled to get the loans they need to finance their inventories and make payroll. Many entrepreneurs can’t get financing to start a small business in the first place. And many more are discouraged from even trying because of the crushing costs of health care -- costs that have forced too many small businesses to cut benefits, shed jobs, or shut their doors for good.

Small businesses have always been the engine of our economy -- creating 65 percent of all new jobs over the past decade and-a-half -- and they must be at the forefront of our recovery. That’s why the Recovery Act was designed to help small businesses expand and create jobs. It’s provided $5 billion worth of tax relief, as well as temporarily reducing or eliminating fees on SBA loans and guaranteeing some of these loans up to 90 percent, which has supported nearly $13 billion in new lending to more than 33,000 businesses.

In addition, our health reform plan will allow small businesses to buy insurance for their employees through an insurance exchange, which may offer better coverage at lower costs -- and we’ll provide tax credits for those that choose to do so.

And this past week, I called on Congress to increase the maximum size of various SBA loans, so that more small-business owners can set up shop and grow their operations.

I also announced that we’ll be taking additional steps through our Financial Stability Plan to make more credit available to the small local and community banks that so many small businesses depend on -- the banks who know their borrowers, who gave them their first loan and watched them grow. The goal here is to get credit where it’s needed most -- to businesses that support families, sustain communities, and create the jobs that power our economy.

That’s why we enacted the Financial Stability Plan in the first place, back when many of our largest banks were on the verge of collapse. Our credit markets were frozen, and it was nearly impossible for ordinary people to get loans to buy a car or home or pay for college. The idea was to jump-start lending and keep our economy from spiraling into a depression.

Fortunately, it worked. Thanks to the American taxpayers, we’ve now achieved the stability we need to get our economy moving forward again.

But, while credit may be more available for large businesses, too many small-business owners are still struggling to get the credit they need. These are the very taxpayers who stood by America’s banks in a crisis.

And now it’s time for our banks to stand by creditworthy small businesses, and make the loans they need to open their doors, grow their operations, and create new jobs. It’s time for those banks to fulfill their responsibility to help ensure a wider recovery, a more secure system, and more broadly shared prosperity.

And we’re going to take every appropriate step to encourage them to meet those responsibilities. Because if it’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that here in America, we rise and fall together. Our economy, as a whole, can’t move ahead if small businesses and the middle class continue to fall behind.

This country was built by dreamers. They’re the workers who took a chance on their desire to be their own boss. The part-time inventors who became the full-time entrepreneurs. The men and women who have helped build the American middle class, keeping alive that most American of ideals – that all things are possible for all people, and we’re limited only by the size of our dreams and our willingness to work for them.

We need to do everything we can to ensure that they can keep taking those risks, acting on those dreams, and building the enterprises that fuel our economy and make us who we are.

Thanks.

* * *

The full video of President Obama's weekly address can be viewed online at: http://bit.ly/ObamaSmallBizRecovery

SOURCE: The White House
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President Obama Announces New Small-Business Lending Initiatives

2009-10-21T15:10:00.027-05:00

This afternoon, President Barack Obama [pictured above with Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and SBA Administrator Karen Mills], announced his proposal to boost lending support of small businesses, so as to promote even further business expansion and job creation.

Speaking from Metropolitan Archives, a small records-storage business based in Landover, Md., President Obama reflected on the heretofore impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009; outlined specifics of his proposed lending initiatives; and provided a sneak preview of a small-biz-focused conference that Geithner and Mills will convene in the near future.

"Over the past decade and a half, America's small businesses have created 65 percent of all new jobs in the country," Obama noted. "And more than half of all Americans working in the private sector are either employed by a small business or own one -- more than half. These companies are the engine of job growth in America. They fuel our prosperity. And that's why they have to be at the forefront of our recovery.

"The problem is, our small businesses have been some of the hardest hit by this recession. From the middle of 2007 through the end of 2008, small businesses lost 2.4 million jobs. And, because banks shrunk from lending in the midst of the financial crisis, it's been difficult for entrepreneurs to take out the loans they need to start a business. For those who do own a small business, it's been difficult to finance inventories and make payroll, or expand if things are going well.

"And that's why we made sure the Recovery Act focused on helping small businesses expand and create jobs. In it, we temporarily reduced or eliminated fees on SBA loans -- loans that give small businesses more money to reinvest in their own futures. And we guaranteed some of these loans by up to 90 percent, which has given local banks and credit unions the confidence they need to lend.

"In the last eight months, these steps have made a real difference for small businesses across America. So far, the Recovery Act has supported over 33,000 loans to small businesses that have already helped save or create nearly tens of thousands of jobs -- nearly $13 billion in new lending -- $13 billion. And more than 1,200 banks and credit unions that had stopped issuing SBA loans when the financial crisis hit are lending again today. And more than $4.3 billion in federal contracts are now going to small businesses.

"We're also providing tax relief to small businesses under the Recovery Act -- relief that will give these businesses back over $5 billion this year. And we're giving tax cuts directly to 95 percent of working Americans, which includes the vast majority of small-business owners and their employees.

"So there's no question that our Recovery Act has given a boost to every American who works at a small business, or owns one, or aspires to own one. There's no question that the steps we've taken have improved the overall climate for small business across the country.

"But there's also no question that we've got a long way to go. There's still too little credit flowing to our small businesses. There's still too many entrepreneurs who can't get the loans they need to open up their doors and start hiring. There's still too many who are struggling to make payroll and to stay open. And there's still too many successful small businesses that want to expand further and hire more but just don't have the capital to do it."

Specifically, President Obama called for:

* Increasing the size of SBA’s 7[a] loan from $2 million to $5 million;

* Increasing the size of SBA’s 504 loan from $2 million to $5 million for standard borrowers [supporting a total project of $12.5 million], and from $4 million to $5.5 million for manufacturers [supporting a total project of $13.75 million]; and

* Increasing the size of SBA’s Microloan from $35,000 to $50,000.

"Finally," President Obama added, "I've asked Tim Geithner and Karen Mills to convene a conference in the coming weeks that will bring together regulators, congressional leaders, lenders and small businesses to determine what additional steps we can take to get credit flowing to small businesses that want to expand and create more jobs.

"Of all the steps we're taking to move this economy from recession to recovery, I continue to believe that the success of our small businesses will be a foundation upon which our future prosperity is built. So we will continue to do whatever we can to help these businesses grow and thrive. And I'm confident that the steps we announced today will do that for small-business owners across the country -- men and women we hear from every day."

Administrator Mills Comments on President Obama’s Proposal to Raise SBA Loan Limits
Following President Obama's announcement to raise the maximum loan size for SBA-backed loans to small business, SBA Administrator Mills issued the following statement:

"America’s 29 million small businesses have been hard-hit in this recession. Nine months ago, President Obama sent small businesses a lifeline: the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Since then, the SBA has supported more than 33,000 loans for a total of almost $13 billion in small-business lending. This has helped save or create tens of thousands of jobs.

"But there is much more work to be done, which is why President Obama today pledged his support for legislation that would increase the maximum size of some SBA loans. Increasing maximum loan sizes will allow the SBA to ensure that more small-business owners and entrepreneurs can get access to the credit they need to expand their operations and create jobs.

"The President also announced additional support from the Treasury Department for smaller community lenders that are committed to increasing their lending to small businesses. Secretary Geithner and I will host a conference on small-business lending with members of Congress, regulators, lenders and the small-business community. The conference will discuss additional efforts that can be taken to provide small businesses with access to credit. These steps, coupled with SBA’s ongoing efforts, will help small businesses grow and create jobs throughout America."

Rep. Velázquez Applauds, Looks Forward to "Swiftly Moving" Small-Business Lending Legislation
Shortly after President Obama's speech, Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez [D-NY], chairwoman of the U.S. House Committee on Small Business, commented on the Administration's plan for helping small businesses access credit:

"I applaud the President for reaffirming his support for our nation's small businesses and recognizing their importance to the economic recovery. With the Administration's March announcement, and again today, the President has made clear that he is committed to getting entrepreneurs the help that they need. As the Administration refines the details of this plan, I am sure they will closely consult lenders, the small-business community and Congress, and I look forward to participating in that dialogue.

"In working to increase access to capital, it is important to pursue policies that will open doors for, and enhance the opportunities, of small firms. Duplicating existing programs or instilling initiatives that only benefit the lenders does nothing to help grow our economy.

"The ultimate goal is to get affordable capital into the hands of small businesses. That is why the Committee today approved bipartisan legislation to comprehensively modernize the SBA's capital-access initiatives. This bill is expected to support $44 billion in small-business lending every year, helping to save or create 1.3 million jobs annually. I look forward to swiftly moving this legislation through the House and working with my colleagues to get this bill to the President for his signature."

To view the video of President Obama's speech, go to: http://bit.ly/ObamaVideoSmallBiz

The full text of President Obama's remarks can be found here: http://bit.ly/ObamaRemarksSmallBiz

A fact sheet on President Obama's proposal to increase SBA loan size can be found at: http://bit.ly/ObamaFactsSmallBiz

A fact sheet on FinancialStability.gov's Small Business and Community Lending Initiative, titled "Unlocking Credit for Small Businesses," is available at: http://bit.ly/FinancialStabilitySmallBiz

To track Recovery Act-related developments, go to: http://www.recovery.gov/

For information about federal contracting opportunities, go to: http://www.fedbizopps.gov/

SOURCES: U.S. Department of the Treasury, U.S. House Committee on Small Business, U.S. Small Business Administration, White House [photo by Pete Souza]
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Sebelius, Mills Release New Report, 'Insurance at Risk: Small Business Employees Risk Losing Coverage'

2009-10-20T10:50:00.021-05:00

Secretary of Health and Human Services [HHS] Kathleen Sebelius [pictured] and Small Business Administration [SBA] Administrator Karen Mills today released a new report, "Insurance at Risk: Small Business Employees Risk Losing Coverage."

The report examines the health-care status quo that has left employees at risk of losing their insurance, and underscores the financial difficulties small businesses face when providing health insurance to their employees. The complete report, along with a list of sources cited, is available now at http://bit.ly/HealthReformSmallBiz.

"More Americans who work for a small business have lost their health insurance coverage, and those who still have coverage have seen their costs go up," said Sebelius. "Health insurance reform will drive costs down and make it easier for small-business owners to give their employees the quality coverage they need."

"The cost of health insurance is the No. 1 concern of small-business owners," Mills noted. "On average, small businesses pay 18 percent more than big businesses for the same health insurance policy. This has left small-business owners in an untenable situation, having to choose between their employees -- who are often like family to them -- and the bottom line. Health care reform will provide small-business owners with greater access to the affordable, quality coverage they want and need for themselves and their employees."

The new report notes:

* Employees of small businesses are 50 percent more likely to lose coverage as workers at large businesses. Half of workers in small firms that do not offer health benefits remain uninsured.

* Premiums for employer-based health insurance have more than doubled since 2000, rising three times faster than wages. As a result, fewer small businesses provide coverage for their employees. In 2000, 57 percent of firms employing fewer than 10 workers provided coverage. In 2009, only 46 percent of similar-sized firms provided coverage.

* In one national survey, nearly three-quarters of small businesses that did not offer benefits cited high premiums as the reason; and, on average, small businesses pay up to 18 percent more than large firms for the same health insurance policy. This is due, in part, to high broker fees [which can be up to 10 percent of premiums] and health plan administrative costs that are three to four times those in the large-group market.

Health insurance reform will stabilize health insurance coverage for Americans who work for small businesses, and provide small businesses with tax credits to help them provide health insurance for their employees. This will make health care more affordable for small businesses and their workers, solidifying and strengthening employer-based coverage for years to come.

Health insurance reform will also create a health insurance exchange, so that Americans without access to affordable insurance on the job can compare prices and health plans, and decide which quality affordable option is right for them. The exchange will also significantly reduce administrative costs for small businesses by enabling them to easily and simply compare the prices, benefits, and performance of health plans.

To learn how the current system has failed millions of Americans, and what President Obama’s Administration is doing to work with Congress to enact comprehensive health reform this year, check out these Web-based resources:

* Online Series on Health Reform: http://bit.ly/HealthReformOnline

* White House Reports on Health Reform: http://bit.ly/WhiteHouseHealthReform

* Health Insurance Reform Reality Check: http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/

* Video: "Reform Will Benefit Small Business -- Not Burden It": http://bit.ly/RealityCheckSmallBiz

* How Health Insurance Reform Will Help Small Business: http://bit.ly/HealthReformHelpSmallBiz

* Council of Economic Advisers Report, "The Economic Effects of Health Care Reform on Small Businesses and Their Employees": http://bit.ly/EconomicEffectsSmallBiz

SOURCES: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Small Business Administration, White House
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FTC Publishes Final Guides Governing Endorsements, Testimonials; Changes Affect Bloggers, Testimonial Advertisements, Celebrity Endorsements

2009-10-06T10:48:00.031-05:00

Yesterday, the Federal Trade Commission announced that it has approved final revisions to the guidance it gives to advertisers on how to keep their endorsement and testimonial ads in line with the FTC Act.

The main thrust of the 81-page document, "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising" occurs in a statement on page 75, which reads: "When there exists a connection between the endorser and the seller of the advertised product that might materially affect the weight or credibility of the endorsement [i.e., the connection is not reasonably expected by the audience], such connection must be fully disclosed."

The notice incorporates several changes to the FTC’s "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising," which address endorsements by bloggers, consumers, experts, organizations, and celebrities, as well as the disclosure of important connections between advertisers and endorsers. The Guides, which become effective on Dec. 1, 2009, were last updated in 1980.

Under the revised Guides, advertisements that feature a consumer and convey his or her experience with a product or service as typical, when that is not the case, will be required to clearly disclose the results that consumers can generally expect. In contrast to the 1980 version of the Guides -- which allowed advertisers to describe unusual results in a testimonial, as long as they included a disclaimer such as "results not typical" -- the revised Guides no longer contain this safe harbor.

The revised Guides also add new examples to illustrate the longstanding principle that "material connections" [sometimes payments or free products] between advertisers and endorsers -- connections that consumers would not expect -- must be disclosed. These examples address what constitutes an endorsement when the message is conveyed by bloggers or other "word-of-mouth" marketers.

The revised Guides specify that while decisions will be reached on a case-by-case basis, the post of a blogger who receives cash or in-kind payment to review a product is considered an endorsement. Thus, bloggers who make an endorsement must disclose the material connections they share with the seller of the product or service.

Likewise, if a company refers in an advertisement to the findings of a research organization that conducted research sponsored by the company, the advertisement must disclose the connection between the advertiser and the research organization. And a paid endorsement -- like any other advertisement -- is deceptive if it makes false or misleading claims.

Celebrity endorsers also are addressed in the revised Guides. While the 1980 Guides did not explicitly state that endorsers, as well as advertisers, could be liable under the FTC Act for statements they make in an endorsement, the revised Guides reflect Commission case law and clearly state that both advertisers and endorsers may be liable for false or unsubstantiated claims made in an endorsement -- or for failure to disclose material connections between the advertiser and endorsers. The revised Guides also make it clear that celebrities have a duty to disclose their relationships with advertisers when making endorsements outside the context of traditional ads, such as on talk shows or in social media.

The Guides are administrative interpretations of the law, intended to help advertisers comply with the Federal Trade Commission Act; they are not binding law themselves. In any law enforcement action challenging the allegedly deceptive use of testimonials or endorsements, the Commission would have the burden of proving that the challenged conduct violates the FTC Act.

The Commission vote approving issuance of the Federal Register notice detailing the changes was 4-0. The notice will be published in the Federal Register shortly, and is available now on the FTC’s website as a link to this press release. Copies also are available from the FTC’s Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20580.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices, and to provide information to help spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP [1-877-382-4357]. The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,700 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics.

SOURCE: Federal Trade Commission
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Help Support Breast Cancer Awareness; Be a Part of the World Pink Mosaic

2009-10-01T10:42:00.025-05:00

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Join the Estée Lauder Companies' 2009 Breast Cancer Awareness campaign by spreading the word about the World Pink Mosaic -- an online photo mosaic of breast cancer survivors and supporters, all united in their support for breast health and the desire for a world without breast cancer. One pink movement, thousands of stories.

* Users can take part by visiting any participating Estée Lauder brand sites during the month of October.

* Submissions will become part of a virtual tapestry that will take the shape of a giant Pink Ribbon.

* Individuals can then share their participation with friends and family by posting it to their social networking profiles, sending a link to Twitter, or e-mailing it anywhere in the world.

Upload your photo today to the World Pink Mosaic and support World Pink. A World Without Breast Cancer™.

==> http://budurl.com/WorldPinkMosaic

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This October, your purchase of Peace of Mind™ On-the-spot relief helps fight against breast cancer. Imagine the win-win benefits: You purchase a stress-relief product to help you relax, while supporting a truly worthwhile cause -- World Pink. A World Without Breast Cancer™.

GoodBiz113 ad partner Origins is donating $35,000 from the sales of Peace of Mind™ sold in North America to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Your purchase will help support research dedicated to preventing breast cancer and finding a cure in our lifetime.

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SOURCE: Origins Natural Resources Inc.
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Minnesota-Based Marvin Windows and Doors Has Lessons for All Businesses

2009-09-22T10:16:00.017-05:00

Yesterday, the Star Tribune published a timely story about Marvin Windows and Doors, a Minnesota-based, privately owned business that has prospered since 1912 by treating its stakeholders well and by generously giving back to the communities in which it operates -- in good economic times and otherwise.

Sue Marvin, president, and part of the third generation now running the company, divulged the company's design for success: "If you take care of your customers and you take care of your employees, your shareholders will be just fine."

Owners and managers of businesses large and small could learn a thing or two from this near-century-old enterprise that thrives well beyond the bottom line. Invest a few minutes to read the story: http://budurl.com/MarvinWindows.

* * *

On that note... Here's some recommended reading for current and would-be entrepreneurs and business leaders: "In Pursuit of the Common Good: Twenty-Five Years of Improving the World, One Bottle of Salad Dressing at a Time," co-authored by the late Paul Newman and A.E. Hotchner, founders of Newman's Own -- the first green food company to use all-natural ingredients, and still the most successful.

By "shamelessly exploiting" opportunities -- and, yes, well-deserved global celebrity -- Paul Newman and Newman's Own Foundation have contributed more than $280 million to thousands of charities worldwide.

Enjoy this informative, fun and inspiring read!

SOURCES: Marvin Windows and Doors [photo], Star Tribune
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Elance Releases September 2009 Work Index

2009-09-16T10:08:00.010-05:00

Elance just published its September Elance Work Index, which ranks the hottest skills in demand on the Web today. In September, PHP, graphic design, Flash and article writing are among the fastest-growing skills in demand.

Here's a complete list of Elance's Top 10 skills in September 2009:

1. PHP
2. Graphic Design
3. Adobe Flash
4. Article Writing
5. MySQL
6. HTML
7. CSS
8. Microsoft Office Excel
9. Content Writing
10. WordPress

==> http://budurl.com/SeptemberElanceIndex

GoodBiz113 ad partner Elance is the leading site for online work, where businesses connect with independent professionals to get work done.

Privately held and headquartered in Mountain View, Cal., Elance delivers an immediate, cost-effective and flexible way to hire, manage and pay independent professionals and contractors online. Companies tap into Elance’s skilled talent pool to distribute their work, while professionals use Elance to meet clients, stay independent, and get paid for delivering great results.

To read testimonials from diverse clients and businesses -- e.g., entrepreneurs, marketing agencies, IT consultants & developers, professional services firms, non-profit organizations, Web development firms -- using Elance, go to:

==> http://budurl.com/ClientTestimonials

Discover more about how Elance works:

==> http://budurl.com/DiscoverElance

SOURCE: Elance Inc.
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SBA, Homeland Security Issue Small-Biz Prep Guide for H1N1 Flu

2009-09-15T10:52:00.030-05:00

Yesterday, Small Business Administration [SBA] Administrator Karen Mills and Department of Homeland Security [DHS] Secretary Janet Napolitano [pictured] announced the availability of a preparedness guide designed to assist small businesses in planning for the possibility of an H1N1 flu outbreak this fall.

During a call with reporters, Mills made clear the importance of flu preparedness for small businesses. "Small-business owners should take the time to create a plan, talk with their employees, and make sure they are prepared for flu season," she said. "For countless small businesses, having even one or two employees out for a few days has the potential to negatively impact operations and their bottom line. A thoughtful plan will help keep employees and their families healthy, as well as protect small businesses and local economies."

Outbreaks of H1N1 flu are occurring now across the country, and will likely coincide with the return of seasonal flu this fall and winter. The preparedness guide offers small-business employers tools and information to help them plan for and respond flexibly to varying levels of severity of an H1N1 outbreak -- which may lead to increased absenteeism and, if the outbreak becomes more severe, may include restricted service capabilities and supply-chain disruptions.

Employers are encouraged to put strategies in place now to protect their employees and their businesses in advance of the fall flu season. Included in the preparedness guide are tips on how to write a continuity of operations plan, steps for keeping employees healthy, frequently asked questions about the 2009 H1N1 flu, plus a list of additional resources that employers can access online.

To download the 10-page preparedness guide [pdf], please visit http://www.sba.gov/flu.

SOURCE: U.S. Small Business Administration
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Verbatim: President Obama Clarifies How Health Insurance Reform Plan Will Benefit All Americans

2009-09-10T10:10:00.036-05:00

Last evening, President Barack Obama told a joint session of Congress and the American people just how he wants to bring peace of mind to U.S. citizens who have health insurance, and affordable coverage to those who don't. He clearly articulated the three key points of his comprehensive health insurance reform plan:

1] It will provide more security and stability to those who have health insurance.

2] It will provide insurance to those who don't.

3] And it will lower the cost of health care for our families, our businesses, and our government.

After President Obama declared, "The time for bickering is over... Now is the time to deliver," countless people of all political stripes and backgrounds immediately weighed in on the President's plan. Here's a select sampling of how some people -- e.g., medical professionals, politicos, pundits -- think his health insurance reform plan will serve America's individuals, households and small businesses...

"I think it was a very good speech. [Obama] made it quite clear this is a very important priority for him and the American people. He also made it quite clear that he is going to 'call out' those who make false statements and use scare techniques...

"I think he was clear that he wants individual mandates, employer mandates/pay or play, critical insurance reforms including guaranteed issue [of insurance], no pre-existing condition exclusion, [and] some type of meaningful public plan, ... but [he] didn't seem committed to that solution. These are all good." -- Dr. Patty Gabow, M.D., CEO, Denver Health [Denver Business Journal, 09/09/2009]

* * *

"I think they go back to committee, they find out what the Senate [Finance] Committee is going to report, then they hammer a bill out.

"I think this is a president that's under no illusion that he's going to get a lot of Republican support. He may get one Republican senator, if he's lucky, but I think that he's hoping that this talk of fiscal responsibility is going to keep some of those moderate, conservative Democrats with him in the House. He took something from Hillary Clinton, he took something from medical malpractice from the Republicans -- to the disdain of lots of liberal Democrats. So there was something in there for everybody." -- Gloria Borger, CNN senior political analyst [CNN.com, 09/09/2009]

* * *

"Over the last month, we’ve watched the debate over health insurance reform get off track, thanks to special interests that benefit from the broken insurance system we have now. In his speech today, President Obama dispelled the myths and misunderstandings that have been swirling around this issue. And he brought back into focus how important it is to all Americans that we reform our broken health insurance system...

"We’ve entered a new phase of the debate marked by this historic speech. My colleagues and I are more determined than ever to put the best ideas -- from Democrats and Republicans -- on the table, so we can pass a meaningful health insurance reform bill that lowers costs and improves coverage for Coloradans and all Americans. The time to act is now." -- U.S. Sen. Mark Udall, D-Col. [Denver Business Journal, 09/09/2009]

* * *

"Democracy Corps, a nonprofit liberal group, was doing some focus groups tonight with dials, and I was checking in with them as they were doing those. Obviously, most of what [Obama] said was way up with Democrats. And that matters because, ultimately, this is in the hands of the Democrats.

"But he scored very well with independents, as well. And it is those Blue Dog Democrats who care about fiscal issues that he was really speaking to -- both at home and in the hall. And when he said the Bush tax cut, the war in Iraq, and the prescription drug plan exploded the deficit, he was talking to them -- because a lot of them voted for that. So he's going to be able to take them behind a closed door now and say, 'Hey, bud. You jacked up the deficit under the last president. You gotta help me now.' And I think that's going to be a powerful argument behind closed doors. He said it very politely in public tonight." -- Paul Begala, Democratic strategist [CNN.com, 09/09/2009]

* * *

"Tonight, President Obama reminded us of exactly what is at stake in the health care debate, and of why we owe it to the American people to enact reform that makes a meaningful departure from a status quo that isn’t working for families and small businesses." -- U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Col. [Denver Business Journal, 09/09/2009]

* * *

"My sense is he very much endorsed the [Sen. Max] Baucus plan tonight -- the moderate Democratic plan. He had very little to nothing about taxation in here... He didn't come out four-square for the public option. I think this is very much what they're trying to build in the Senate side.

"My sense of the speech is whether it reversed the tide, which I think was the real test. Had he given this speech three months ago, when there was a glow about his presidency, I think he could have swept the country. It was a very well-crafted speech. But now, given everything that's happened, millions of Americans that voted for him will say tonight: 'We saw the Obama we elected.' They will be really excited by this speech. But for a lot of others, I don't think it moved them very much. I'm not sure it will heal the divide. Maybe it will move some of the independents, like Paul [Begala] said. But we're so dug in, I'm not sure it ultimately moved the people he needed to move to reverse the tide." -- David Gergen, senior political analyst [CNN.com, 09/09/2009]

* * *

"I agree with the president that consumers do better when there is choice and competition. The best way to achieve this is by offering a strong public option that will not only bring down rising costs, but will also ensure competition and transparency among private companies within the insurance exchange. No one will be forced into the public option, but they will have that choice as an affordable alternative." -- U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Denver [Denver Business Journal, 09/09/2009]

* * *

"I think he clearly laid out his objectives. This was his goal. There are two lines here I want to repeat: 'While there remain some significant details to be ironed out...' That's what was missing tonight. The other thing, to the point about the Medicare, he talks about how to reduce the waste and inefficiency in Medicaid and Medicare to pay for most of his plan. And the proposal will cost $900 billion... I think he did not quiet the little anguish that'll go on among those senior citizens.

"Now, the key thing here is he laid out his goals. He laid out his objectives. The details will come from Congress. There's a lot in this thing that could be challenged tonight." -- Ed Rollins, Republican strategist [09/09/2009]

* * *

"Skyrocketing health care costs are breaking the budgets of hard-working families, small businesses and states. Too many Coloradans are one illness away from bankruptcy. President Obama is right: the status quo is unacceptable. Fixing our economy requires responsible, moderate reform that will provide security and stability for those who have health care and access to affordable insurance for those who do not." -- Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, a Democrat [Denver Business Journal, 09/09/2009]

* * *

"Overall, we support his call for health care reform. I think he showed good leadership on the issue. I think he did a good job on calling on both parties to pass meaningful reform." -- Jeff Korsmo, executive director, Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center [Post-Bulletin, 09/10/2009]

* * *

"It was very clear that [the president] wasn’t just talking to the people in that chamber; he was talking to the people of this country. What I liked about the speech is it really put a blueprint out there for what needs to be done, and he dispelled a lot of the myths surrounding the debate." -- U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. [Post-Bulletin, 09/10/2009]

* * *

"I've talked to thousands of Minnesotans as I traveled the state during August, and no matter which end of the political spectrum they're on, people want real reform. I think we heard the same message from the president tonight that I have heard from my constituents: Now is the time to fix our broken health insurance system to lower costs, improve quality, and ensure choice of health plans." -- U.S. Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn. [Post-Bulletin, 09/10/2009]

* * *

"I'm pleased that the president came out tonight and told Americans the three basic goals his plan meets, how it meets those goals, and what it will mean to them. Time is of the essence -- Americans have waited decades and they can wait no longer for reform. The cost is too high for our families, our businesses, our health care providers and our communities to bear any longer." -- U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn. [Post-Bulletin, 09/10/2009]

The public is invited to attend a rally on health insurance reform with President Obama this Saturday, Sept. 12, at Target Center in downtown Minneapolis. The event is free and open to the public. Space is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. No ticket is required. Doors open at 9:30 a.m.; program begins at 12:30 p.m.

To read the full text of President Obama's remarks to Congress, go to: http://budurl.com/SupportHealthReform.

In May 2009, shortly after he was told that his illness was terminal, the late Sen. Ted Kennedy [D-Mass.] -- who devoted his 37-year career in the U.S. Senate to championing health care for all -- wrote a letter to President Obama and asked that it be delivered upon his death. To read that letter, referenced during Obama's speech to Congress, go to: http://budurl.com/KennedyLetter.

To read President Obama's full plan for health insurance reform, go to: http://budurl.com/HealthReformPlanFull.

To download a concise, printable version of President Obama's plan [PDF], go to: http://budurl.com/HealthReformPlanPDF.

To learn about HealthierUS, a new national initiative to improve people's lives, prevent and reduce the costs of disease, and promote community health and wellness, go to: http://www.healthierus.gov/.

Want to know exactly how health insurance reform will benefit you? Take the "What's in Reform for You?" quiz: http://budurl.com/RealityCheckQuiz

For information and updates regarding health insurance reform, click on these sources:
* AARP: Myths vs. Facts About Health Care Reform
* American Cancer Society: Access to Health Care
* American Medical Association
* American Nurses Association
* Americans for Stable Quality Care
* CNN.com: Health Care in America
* Doctors for America
* FactCheck.org
* FactsAboutReform.org
* Families USA
* Federation of American Hospitals
* Health Care for America Now!
* Health Insurance Reform and Medicare
* Health Insurance Reform Reality Check
* HealthActionNow.org
* HealthReform.gov
* Kaiser Family Foundation
* Main Street Alliance
* NOW on PBS/Health Care Reform
* PhRMA
* Setting the Record Straight
* Urban Institute's Health Policy Center

SOURCES: CNN.com, Denver Business Journal, Post-Bulletin, The White House [photo by Pete Souza]
____________________

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SBA Offers Free Online Course on Winning Federal Contracts

2009-09-02T14:02:00.025-05:00

The U.S. Small Business Administration [SBA] just launched a new online training course to help strengthen access to contracting opportunities for small businesses -- including those owned by women, minorities, disadvantaged individuals and veterans.

The free training program, "Recovery Act Opportunities: How to Win Federal Contracts," is part of a federal government-wide initiative announced last month by President Obama, and being led by SBA and the U.S. Department of Commerce.

"Government contracts can play a key role in helping small businesses turn the corner, in terms of expansion and job creation," said SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills [pictured]. "But make no mistake, the benefits the government receives are equally as impressive. Working with small businesses allows the federal government to work with some of the most innovative companies in America -- often with direct contact to the CEO.

"The SBA online training course can help businesses access the federal purchasing system, and position themselves to compete for the commercial opportunities offered by government contracting."

In announcing the government-wide initiative, President Obama reiterated his Administration’s commitment to providing "our Nation’s small businesses with maximum practicable opportunity to participate in federal government contracting."

As part of the initiative, federal agency procurement officers are participating in more than 200 events over the next several weeks to help connect small businesses with contracting opportunities. Additionally, SBA and Commerce are expanding their outreach to contracting officials across the federal government, to ensure they have the tools to meet their annual contracting goals and increase opportunities to small businesses -- including those owned by veterans, women and minorities, as well as those enterprises located in designated HUBZones.

As part of the outreach to small businesses, the comprehensive online course uses both audio and script to provide information about the federal marketplace, contract rules and, most importantly, how to sell to the government and where to find contract and Recovery Act-related opportunities.

The new training portal is a free online training course designed to assist entrepreneurs during this period of economic recovery. This self-paced instructional guide provides an overview of the federal procurement process.

The "Recovery Act Opportunities" course is available on SBA’s website: http://www.sba.gov/fedcontractingtraining. It's indexed by subject matter to allow ease of use, and includes multiple direct links that highlight the best contracting resources.

The course also includes practical and fundamental steps to engage small-business owners in the federal contracting process. It is one of more than 24 online tutorials offered by the SBA, and is available 24/7.

For more information, please visit SBA's website: http://www.sba.gov/.

SOURCES: U.S. Small Business Administration, The White House
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SBA Administrator Mills Encourages Americans to Plan for Disasters During National Preparedness Month

2009-09-01T10:23:00.023-05:00

Citing current wildfires in Southern California and several storms impacting coastal regions, the U.S. Small Business Administration [SBA] is encouraging Americans to be prepared. In a message posted today on YouTube, SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills [pictured] reminds the public about National Preparedness Month and the devastating effects of disaster, encouraging everyone to develop and implement disaster preparedness plans.

"There’s a tendency to think that a large-scale disaster is not going to happen 'where I live,'" Mills. "We should all realize that storms, floods, earthquakes, fires and man-made disasters can strike at any time and anywhere. Taking responsibility for your own post-disaster recovery is a good step toward protecting your family, your business and your community."

The U.S. Small Business Administration is one of many federal, state and local government and private-sector coalition partners participating in this September’s National Preparedness Month.

The Administrator’s video can be found at www.youtube.com/sba.

To prepare for disasters, SBA offers the following tips:

Develop a solid emergency response plan. Find evacuation routes from the home or business, and establish meeting places. Make sure everyone understands the plan beforehand. Keep emergency phone numbers handy. Business owners should designate a contact person to communicate with other employees, customers and vendors. Homeowners, renters and business owners should ask an out-of-state friend, colleague or family member to be a "post-disaster" point of contact, supporting the flow of information about short-term relocations, recovery, additional sources of assistance, etc.

Make sure you have adequate insurance coverage. Disaster preparedness begins with having adequate insurance coverage -- at least enough to rebuild your home or business. Homeowners and business owners should review their policies to see what is or isn’t covered. Companies should consider business interruption insurance, which helps cover operating costs during the post-disaster shutdown period. Flood insurance is essential. To find out more about the National Flood Insurance Program, visit the website at www.floodsmart.gov/.

Copy important records. It’s a good idea to back up vital records and information saved on computer hard drives, and store that information at a distant offsite location in fireproof safe deposit boxes. You should have copies/backups of important documents ready to take with you if you have to evacuate.

Create a "Disaster Survival Kit." The kit should include a flashlight, a portable radio, extra batteries, first-aid supplies, non-perishable food, bottled water, a basic tool kit, plastic sheeting and garbage bags, cash, and a digital camera to take pictures of the property damage after the storm.

More preparedness tips for businesses, homeowners and renters are available on the SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disasterassistance.

The Institute for Business and Home Safety [www.disastersafety.org/] also has information on protecting your home or business. To learn more about developing an emergency plan, visit the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Ready Campaign website at www.ready.gov/; or, call 1-800-BE-READY to receive free materials.

Following a disaster, the SBA makes low-interest loans to homeowners, renters and non-farm businesses of all sizes. Homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 to repair or replace damaged real estate. Individuals may borrow up to $40,000 to cover losses to personal property.

Non-farm businesses and nonprofit organizations of any size may apply for up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged business assets and real property. Small businesses that suffered economic losses as a direct result of the declared disaster may apply for a working capital loan up to $2 million, even if the property was not physically damaged.

To learn more about the SBA’s disaster assistance program, visit the website at www.sba.gov/disasterassistance.

SOURCE: U.S. Small Business Administration
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In FY 2008, Small Businesses Won Record $93.3 Billion in Federal Contracts

2009-08-21T10:24:00.015-05:00

Small businesses won a record $93.3 billion in federal prime contracts in Fiscal Year 2008 [Oct. 1, 2007 - Sept. 30, 2008] -- an increase of almost $10 billion from 2007, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration [SBA]’s third annual Small Business Procurement Scorecard, released today. In addition, small disadvantaged businesses, women-owned businesses and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses increased their share of federal contracting dollars by at least $1 billion to $3 billion.

"This record $93.3 billion in contracts to small businesses is significant," SBA Administrator Karen Mills said. "However, across the federal government, we are committed to ensuring that the 23 percent goal is met, and even exceeded, going forward.

"Especially during these tough economic times, federal contracts for small businesses can be just the opportunity they need to continue to grow and create jobs. At the same time, the federal government gets access to some of the most innovative, and best, products and services."

Earlier this week, the Obama Administration reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that minority-owned businesses and small businesses -- including women and veteran-owned businesses -- have greater access to federal government contracting opportunities. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and SBA Administrator Karen Mills also announced a government-wide plan that includes federal agency procurement officials holding or participating in more than 200 events over the next 90 days to share information on government contracting opportunities, including those available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

"President Obama [pictured] has made a commitment to ensuring that small businesses have greater access to federal contracting opportunities, and it is a commitment shared across this Administration," noted Mills. "We have already begun taking aggressive steps to connect small businesses with contracting opportunities, as well as increase our outreach to federal agency procurement officers to make sure they get the information and tools they need to help them connect with these good, innovative small companies."

Small Business Procurement Scorecards provide an assessment of federal achievement in prime contracting to small businesses by the 24 Chief Financial Officers Act agencies. It also measures progress that departments are making to ensure that small business opportunities remain an integral part of their acquisition of goods and services to meet mission objectives.

The Scorecard was designed as an internal control and monitoring device to ensure that:

1] Federal agencies reach their small-business and socio-economic goals;

2] Accurate and transparent contracting data is used; and

3] Agency-specific progress is maintained.

SBA is issuing the Small Business Procurement Scorecards for the third time.

The annual Scorecard rates federal agency performance in meeting the overall small-business goal and the component contracting goals for small disadvantaged businesses, small businesses in HUBZones, and small businesses owned by women and service-disabled veterans. Procurement goals for federal procuring agencies may vary, because the SBA negotiates individual goals with each federal procuring agency.

The following 13 agencies met small-business contracting goals: the departments of Agriculture [USDA], Education, Energy [DOE], the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], General Services Administration [GSA], Health and Human Services [HHS], Homeland Security [DHS], Interior [DOI], National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA], the Nuclear Regulatory Commission [NRC], Transportation [DOT], SBA and Veterans Affairs [VA].

The following 22 agencies met goals for contracts to small disadvantaged businesses: the departments of Agriculture, Commerce [DOC], Defense [DOD], Education, Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, General Services Administration, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development [HUD], Interior, Justice [DOJ], Labor [DOL], National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Science Foundation [NSF], the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, SBA, Social Security Administration [SSA], State, Transportation, Treasury and Veterans Affairs.

The following 14 agencies met goals for women-owned small businesses: the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Energy, General Services Administration, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Transportation, Treasury, and SBA.

The following nine agencies met HUBZone contracting goals: the departments of Agriculture, Energy, General Services Administration, Homeland Security, Interior, Labor, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Transportation and SBA.

The following four agencies met goals for small businesses owned by service-disabled veterans: the departments of the Environmental Protection Agency, General Services Administration, Labor and Veterans Affairs.

According to the Scorecard ratings of performance on all five goals:

* One agency -- GSA -- met or surpassed its goals in all areas.

* Eight agencies -- DHS, DOE, DOI, DOL, DOT, NRC, SBA, USDA -- met or surpassed four of the five goals.

* Four agencies -- Education, EPA, HHS, VA -- met or surpassed three of the five goals.

* Four agencies -- DOC, HUD, NASA and Treasury -- met or surpassed two of the five goals.

* Five agencies -- DOD, DOJ, NSF, SSA and State -- met or surpassed one of the five goals.

* Two agencies -- Office of Personnel Management [OPM] and the U.S. Agency for International Development [USAID] -- met none of the five goals.

About the Scorecard
SBA rates 24 agencies green, yellow or red on each of the individual goals established by Congress, and gave a numerical score to each agency based on how many of the five goals were met or surpassed.

Each federal agency has a different small-business contracting goal, determined annually in consultation with SBA. SBA ensures that the sum total of all of the goals meets the 23 percent target established by law.

As part of its ongoing efforts to increase access to contracting opportunities for small businesses, the SBA is continuing to work with federal agency procurement staff to strengthen the integrity of contracting data -- including providing tools to facilitate public review of data and training to improve accuracy.

The goaling reports released today by SBA are available at http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/goals/index.html.

SOURCES: General Accounting Office, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Small Business Administration
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Recovery Act Funding to Expand Microlending to Small Businesses Across the U.S.

2009-08-19T11:46:00.019-05:00

With the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding an additional $50 million for loans, plus $24 million for technical assistance, the U.S. Small Business Administration [SBA] is expanding its Microloan program and increasing access to capital for small businesses across the country.

The program is shifting to funding provided under the Recovery Act, now that it has exhausted the regular FY 2009 appropriations for $20 million in loans and $20 million in technical assistance. With the additional resources, SBA is focused on adding new lenders and encouraging entrepreneurs to seek out SBA-backed microlenders to finance their businesses.

"SBA’s Microloan program provides a critical source of capital for entrepreneurs -- including women, low-income individuals and minorities, who often have difficulty obtaining capital to start and grow their businesses," said SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills. "With these resources, we can put more entrepreneurs and small-business owners in a position to succeed and create jobs that will, in turn, help drive our nation’s economic recovery."

Since the Recovery Act, SBA has approved eight new applications from lenders to join the Microloan program, and has 15 new loans to microlenders for $10.7 million in Recovery Act funds ready to be disbursed. Of those 15 loans, eight are for new microlenders.

The approved new microlenders are: Vermont Community Loan Fund Inc., of Montpelier, Vt; Neighborhood Development Center, of St. Paul, Minn.; Cen-Tex Certified Development Corp., of Austin, Texas; The Emperor Organization, of Tallahassee, Fla.; Staunton Creative Community Fund Inc., of Staunton, Va.; Lane MicroBusiness [d.b.a. eDev], of Eugene, Ore.; FINANTA [formerly known as American Street Financial Services], of Philadelphia, Pa; and ACCION USA Inc., of New York, N.Y.

SBA’s Microloan program supports microlenders by providing them with up to $3.5 million in low-cost loans from SBA to finance their lending to small businesses. SBA’s interest rate to microlenders is based on the five-year Treasury rate, with adjustments tied to a microlender’s average loan size.

Microlenders use the SBA funding to provide loans of up to $35,000 to entrepreneurs. Loans can be used for working capital and acquisition of materials, supplies, furniture, fixtures and equipment.

SBA also provides grant funding to microlenders, to finance technical assistance and counseling programs for their borrowers -- including staff, classroom training, and occupancy costs. SBA’s reimbursement is capped at 25 percent of the microlender’s outstanding SBA loan portfolio.

Organizations interested in becoming SBA microlenders must meet specific criteria -- in terms of organizational status, microlending experience, and matching requirements from non-federal sources. For more information, please visit: http://www.sba.gov/services/financialassistance/sbapartners/microloan; e-mail microloans@sba.gov; or, call 202-205-6485.

Entrepreneurs who wish to learn about SBA's Microloan program can visit: http://www.sba.gov/services/financialassistance/sbaloantopics/microloans/index.html.
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Obama Administration Announces Efforts to Increase Access to Contracting Opportunities for Minority-Owned, Small Businesses

2009-08-18T13:58:00.015-05:00

The Obama Administration today reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that minority-owned and small businesses -- including women- and veteran-owned businesses -- have greater access to federal government contracting opportunities.

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke [pictured] and SBA Administrator Karen Mills announced a government-wide plan that includes federal agency procurement officials holding or participating in more than 200 events over the next 90 days to share information on government contracting opportunities -- including those available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

"Small and minority-owned businesses must play a significant role in our efforts to restore economic growth," said President Barack Obama. "Small businesses employ half of the nation’s private-sector workforce; create a large share of the nation’s new jobs; and introduce many groundbreaking ideas into the marketplace. It is essential that we provide our nation’s small businesses with maximum practicable opportunity to participate in federal government contracting.

"In order for the federal government to better meet or exceed the goal of 23 percent of prime contracts for small businesses, Vice President Biden and I have tasked Small Business Administrator Karen Mills and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke with leading a federal government-wide initiative to increase outreach. Over the course of the next 90 days, agency officials will take an important step forward by holding or participating in more than 200 events focused on sharing information on government contracting opportunities."

Vice President Joe Biden noted that Recovery Act funding will play a significant role in fueling this far-reaching initiative. "In these tough economic times, the Recovery Act is providing billions of dollars in opportunity and incentives to help businesses grow -- and the President and I are committed to ensuring that small and minority-owned businesses are part of our economic recovery every step of the way," he said. "By taking advantage of the expertise of an array of companies, we are going to be able to build a stronger, more secure foundation for long-term economic growth."

As part of the Commerce-SBA initiative, over the next 90 days:

* Federal agency procurement officials will hold or participate in more than 200 events to share information on government contracting opportunities, including those available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

* SBA and Commerce will expand their outreach to fellow contracting officials across the federal government, passing along best practices for outreach and education to every agency, to ensure they have the tools they need to meet their annual contracting goals.

* Locke and Mills will promote small-business contracting opportunities in remarks, special events and discussions with small-business groups across the country -- including minority, women and veteran groups.

"It has been a priority from Day 1 of this Administration to ensure that small and minority-owned businesses are aware of, and have access to, federal contracts and funding opportunities," said Locke. "Over the past 40 years, minority-owned businesses have grown from 300,000 to nearly 4 million today. Their success, and the success of small American businesses, are vital to our economic recovery."

Beyond the next 90 days, Commerce and SBA will support, monitor and track the impact of these efforts going forward, to help ensure the Administration is maximizing opportunities for small businesses.

Administrator Mills beamed at the potential of this initiative to harness entrepreneurs' innovative energy, ideas and expertise. "Government contracts can play a key role in helping small businesses turn the corner, in terms of expansion and job creation," Mills said. "But, make no mistake, the benefits the government receives are equally as impressive. Working with small businesses allows the federal government to work with some of the most innovative companies in America -- with direct line to CEO."

Small-business owners can find out about federal contracting opportunities by visiting http://www.fedbizopps.gov/. Commerce and SBA officials are also available in local offices across the country to assist small businesses interested in contracting opportunities. Contact information for local offices can be found at http://www.commerce.gov/ and http://www.sba.gov/.

SOURCES: Recovery.gov, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Small Business Administration, The White House
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Elance Releases August Work Index

2009-08-12T10:38:00.011-05:00

Hot off the press is the August Elance Work Index, a ranking of the hottest skills in demand on the Web today, based on data from more than 100,000 jobs posted on Elance over recent months.

In August 2009, the fastest-growing skills in demand include:

1. Graphic Design
2. PHP
3. MySQL
4. Adobe Flash
5. HTML
6. Article Writing
7. Internet Marketing
8. Joomla!
9. CSS
10. Logo Design

==> http://budurl.com/AugustElanceIndex

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Privately held and headquartered in Mountain View, Cal., Elance delivers an immediate, cost-effective and flexible way to hire, manage and pay independent professionals and contractors online. Companies tap into Elance’s skilled talent pool to distribute their work, while professionals use Elance to meet clients, stay independent, and get paid for delivering great results.

To read testimonials from diverse clients and businesses -- e.g., entrepreneurs, marketing agencies, IT consultants & developers, professional services firms, non-profit organizations, Web development firms -- using Elance, go to:

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CEA Chair Christina Romer, Ph.D.: Health Insurance Reform Will Benefit Small Business -- Not Burden It

2009-08-11T10:27:00.027-05:00

"Whether or not you have health insurance right now, the reforms we seek will bring stability and security that you don't have today. This isn't about politics. This is about people's lives. This is about people's businesses. This is about our future." -- President Barack Obama

As misinformation about health-care-reform proposals virally spews from the shameless likes of the National Federation of Independent Business, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other counterproductive entities so intent on maintaining the inert status quo, the White House has released a Health Insurance Reform Reality Check. The website features videos of eight key people providing personal, professional and, above all, factual accounts of just how, exactly, health insurance reform will truly benefit Americans.

While all of the videotaped accounts are credible, concise and well worth anyone's time in gleaning valuable firsthand information about proposed health insurance reform, GoodBiz113 readers will likely be most interested in the segment featuring Christina Romer, Ph.D., chair of the Council of Economic Advisers [CEA].

In her three-minute testimonial, Dr. Romer debunks the myth that health insurance reform will hurt small businesses. To the contrary, she notes, reform will ease the burdens on small businesses and help level the playing field with big firms who pay much less to cover their employees on average.

To watch Dr. Romer's videotaped account and/or read the transcript, go to: http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/21.

Get the facts about the stability and security you get from health insurance reform: http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/.
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President Obama: Health Insurance Reform Will Strengthen Small Businesses

2009-07-25T11:30:00.011-05:00

In his weekly address, President Barack Obama [pictured] cited a report released this morning by the Council of Economic Advisers in explaining how health insurance reform will strengthen small businesses in America. With small businesses paying up to 18 percent more for health insurance than large businesses, too many small businesses are forced to cut benefits, law off workers, or close down entirely. Health insurance reform will support small businesses by allowing them purchase plans through an insurance exchange and by providing tax credits to help them provide benefits.

* * *

Following, is the full text of President Obama's remarks:

I recently heard from a small-business owner from New Jersey who wrote that he employs eight people and provides health insurance for all of them. But his policy goes up at least 20 percent each year, and today, it costs almost $1,400 per family per month -- his highest business expense besides his employees’ salaries. He’s already had to let two of them go, and he may be forced to eliminate health insurance altogether.

He wrote, simply: "I am not looking for free health care. I would just like to get my premiums reduced enough to be able to afford it."

Day after day, I hear from people just like him. Workers worried they may lose their coverage if they become too sick, or lose their job, or change jobs. Families who fear they may not be able to get insurance, or change insurance, if someone in their family has a pre-existing condition. And small-business owners trying to make a living and do right by the people they employ.

These are the mom-and-pop stores and restaurants, beauty shops and construction companies that support families and sustain communities. They’re the tiny startups with big ideas, hoping to become the next Google or Apple or HP. And, as shown in a new report released today by the White House Council of Economic Advisers, right now they are getting crushed by skyrocketing health care costs.

Because they lack the bargaining power that large businesses have and face higher administrative costs per person, small businesses pay up to 18 percent more for the very same health insurance plans -- costs that eat into their profits and get passed on to their employees.

As a result, small businesses are much less likely to offer health insurance. Those that do tend to have less generous plans. In a recent survey, one-third of small businesses reported cutting benefits. Many have dropped coverage altogether. And many have shed jobs, or shut their doors entirely.

This is unsustainable, it’s unacceptable, and it’s going to change when I sign health insurance reform into law.

Under the reform plans in Congress, small businesses will be able to purchase health insurance through an "insurance exchange" -- a marketplace where they can compare the price, quality and services of a wide variety of plans, many of which will provide better coverage at lower costs than the plans they have now. They can then pick the one that works best for them and their employees.

Small businesses that choose to insure their employees will also receive a tax credit to help them pay for it. If a small business chooses not to provide coverage, its employees can purchase high-quality, affordable coverage through the insurance exchange on their own. Low-income workers -- folks who are more likely to be working at small businesses -- will qualify for a subsidy to help them cover the costs.

And, no matter how you get your insurance, insurance companies will no longer be allowed to deny you coverage because of a pre-existing condition. They won’t be able to drop your coverage if you get too sick, or lose your job, or change jobs. And we’ll limit the amount your insurance company can force you to pay out of your own pocket.

To view the new report and learn more about how health insurance reform will help small businesses, go to WhiteHouse.gov, and send us your questions and comments. We’ll answer as many of them as we can later this week.

Over the past few months, I’ve been pushing hard to make sure we finally address the need for health insurance reform, which has been deferred year after year, decade after decade. And today, after a lot of hard work in Congress, we are closer than ever before to finally passing reform that will reduce costs, expand coverage, and provide more choices for our families and businesses.

It has taken months to reach this point, and once this legislation passes, we’ll need to move thoughtfully and deliberately to implement these reforms over a period of several years. That is why I feel such a sense of urgency about moving this process forward.

Now, I know there are those who are urging us to delay reform. And some of them have actually admitted that this is a tactic designed to stop any reform at all. Some have even suggested that, regardless of its merits, health care reform should be stopped as a way to inflict political damage on my Administration. I’ll leave it to them to explain that to the American people.

What I’m concerned about is the damage that’s being done right now to the health of our families, the success of our businesses, and the long-term fiscal stability of our government. I’m concerned about hard-working folks who want nothing more than the security that comes with knowing they can get the care they need, when they need it. I’m concerned about the small-business owners who are asking for nothing more than a chance to seize their piece of the American Dream. I’m concerned about our children and grandchildren who will be saddled with deficits that will continue piling up year after year unless we pass reform.

This debate is not a political game for these Americans, and they cannot afford to keep waiting for reform. We owe it to them to finally get it done -- and to get it done this year. Thank you.

* * *

To read and/or download the Council of Economic Advisers' report, "The Economic Effects of Health Care Reform on Small Businesses and Their Employees," go directly to: http://budurl.com/HealthReformSmallBiz.

SOURCES: Council of Economic Advisors, The White House
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SBA Offers $10 Million Surety Bond Guarantee; Aids Recovery in Construction and Service Sectors

2009-07-23T10:18:00.013-05:00

Building on Recovery Act provisions implemented earlier this year, the U.S. Small Business Administration [SBA] announced today that it can now provide surety bond guarantees on federal contracts valued at up to $10 million -- if the contracting officer certifies that the guarantee is in the best interests of the government. An interim final rule is available for public inspection at The Federal Register.

Currently, under a related provision of the Recovery Act that was implemented in March, SBA can provide bond guarantees up to $5 million through September 2010 on all public and private contracts, and subcontracts. SBA partners with the surety industry to help small businesses that would otherwise be unable to obtain bonding in the traditional commercial marketplace. Under the partnership, SBA provides a guarantee to the participating surety company of between 70 and 90 percent of the bond amount.

"Raising the surety bond limit is a critical step in making sure that small businesses in the construction and service sectors have access to federal contracting opportunities that will help drive economic recovery," SBA Administrator Karen Mills [pictured] said. "These changes support small and emerging businesses nationwide -- particularly construction contractors who have seen their markets hurt by a poor economy and lagging construction."

Additional program enhancements published in the rule include:

* A new small-business size standard for this program;

* Authorization for SBA to exercise discretion in deciding bond liability issues; and

* A definition of "order" issued under an indefinite-delivery contract.

The new size standard [which will be in effect until Sept. 30, 2010] temporarily replaces the current size standard for the surety bond guarantee program. It states that a business is small if the business, combined with its affiliates, does not exceed the size standard designated for the primary industry of the business combined with its affiliates. The North American Industry Classification System [NAICS] Codes contained in 13 CFR Part 121 establishes size standards for all industries.

Through its Surety Bond Guarantee Program, SBA will also help by guaranteeing bid, payment and performance bonds to protect the project owner against financial loss if a contractor defaults or fails to perform.

Finally, the rule adds a definition for an "order" issued under an indefinite-delivery contract to clarify that SBA bond guarantees apply to individual orders, as well as contracts.

SBA assistance in locating a participating surety company or agent, and completing application forms, is available online.

For more information on SBA’s Surety Bond Guarantee Program, including surety office contacts, go to http://www.sba.gov/osg/; or, call 1-800-U-ASK-SBA.

SOURCES: Recovery.gov, U.S. Small Business Administration
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Senate Unanimously Passes Kerry Small-Business Innovation and Technology Funding Plan

2009-07-15T10:38:00.012-05:00

Senator John Kerry [D-Mass.], a senior member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, applauded yesterday's unanimous Senate passage of two small-business research programs that Kerry originally sponsored as the committee’s former chairman.

The Small Business Innovation Research [SBIR] and Small Business Technology Transfer [STTR] programs, administered under the Small Business Administration [SBA], offer competitive awards to innovative small businesses. Reflecting Kerry’s original legislation, yesterday’s vote will reauthorize the SBIR and STTR programs for eight years, making the new sunset date for both programs Sept. 30, 2017.

"This is a shot in the arm for small businesses in Massachusetts and throughout the country," said Kerry. "This vote ensures that these programs do not lapse, so that small, high-tech firms, from Springfield to Newburyport, can continue to utilize them to develop technologies to keep our military strong, advance medical breakthroughs, and develop energy sources that are renewable and clean."

Small businesses awarded funding through SBIR or STTR work through three incremental phases. Yesterday’s legislation will increase the awards from $100,000 to $150,000 for Phase I, and from $750,000 to $1 million for Phase II.

SOURCES: Library of Congress, Sen. John Kerry's Online Office, U.S. Small Business Administration
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Recovery Act Changes to SBIC Program Mean Increased Funding Available for Small Businesses

2009-07-10T12:08:00.015-05:00

Effective today, small businesses that would otherwise have difficulty securing private equity or venture capital may find funding easier to get as a result of changes made as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Small Business Investment Company program.

"The Recovery Act expands SBA’s venture capital program to increase the pool of investment funding available to the Small Business Investment Companies licensed by SBA," said SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills. "We believe those companies will be better equipped by these changes to help sustain and grow small businesses for their next important growth steps."

SBICs are privately owned and managed venture capital firms which are licensed and regulated by SBA. SBICs use a combination of funds raised from private sources and money raised through the use of SBA guarantees to make equity and mezzanine capital investments in small businesses. There are approximately 338 SBICs, with $17.4 billion in capital under management.

The changes made as part of the Recovery Act are:

* The Recovery Act makes SBICs eligible for greater SBA guaranteed funding, and requires SBICs to invest 25 percent of their investment dollars into "smaller" businesses. Also, the amount of funding an SBIC may invest in a single small business is set at 10 percent of an SBIC’s total capital, rather than the previous limit of 20 percent of an SBIC’s private capital only. This translates to an effective 50 percent increase in funding available to a single business by an SBIC.

* Maximum SBA funding levels to SBICs will increase up to three times the private capital raised by the SBIC -- up to a maximum of $150 million for single SBICs, or up to $225 million for multiple SBICs that are under common control.

* The cap for all licensees was set at $137.1 million before the Recovery Act.

* These limits are even higher for SBICs that are licensed after Oct. 1, 2009, which certify that at least 50 percent of their investments will be made in small businesses located in low-income areas -- up to $175 million for single licensees, and up to $250 million for jointly controlled multiple licensees.

* Changes made to the SBIC program under the Recovery Act are permanent.

Industry associations have commended SBA for these changes, and SBA continues to encourage new SBICs to apply for licensing and actively participate in the program.

The SBIC program was created to stimulate the growth of America’s small businesses by supplementing the long-term debt and private-equity capital available to them. Since the SBIC program’s formation in 1958, it has invested approximately $56 billion in more than 106,000 small businesses in the United States through April 2009.

For more information about the SBA’s Investment Division and SBIC program, go to http://www.sba.gov/INV; e-mail sbic@sba.gov; or, call 1-800-U-ASK-SBA.

SOURCES: Recovery.gov, U.S. Small Business Administration
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CDC Introduces New Website to Help Employers Combat Obesity and Reduce Health-Related Costs

2009-06-25T10:42:00.015-05:00

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] today unveiled LEAN Works!, a website designed to help businesses address obesity. LEAN stands for Leading Employees to Activity and Nutrition. The new website was announced at a National Business Group on Health [NBGH] meeting in Washington, D.C.

"CDC LEAN Works! was developed in direct response to organizations asking CDC for help in addressing the obesity epidemic. Specifically they wanted to know what interventions were effective in helping employees maintain a healthy weight," said William Dietz, M.D., Ph.D., director of CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity. "CDC has identified science-based interventions that work to prevent and control obesity. CDC LEAN Works! provides the tools that employers need to take action."

The free website was developed particularly for small and mid-size companies, which typically have more limited resources to devote to obesity prevention efforts. However, the tools and resources available on CDC LEAN Works! can benefit companies of any size. CDC LEAN Works! can help employers calculate the cost of obesity for their organizations, and develop tailored approaches to help control these costs through interventions such as fitness classes, lunchtime health education sessions, weight management programs, and more.

The website provides a variety of resources to employers, including:

* An obesity cost calculator where employers can input employee demographic data to estimate the total costs associated with obesity, and determine annual obesity-related medical costs for their companies.

* Information and resources to help employers plan, build, promote and assess interventions to combat obesity.

* Information on how employers can estimate return on investment -- a measure of the cost of an intervention, compared to the expected financial return of the intervention.

Obesity is a risk factor for high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. Obese individuals spend 77 percent more money for necessary medications than non-obese persons.

"Obesity affects more than just health-care costs. It also has a significant impact on worker productivity, because the more chronic diseases employees have, the more likely they are to be absent from work, or less productive if they come to work sick," said Janet Collins, Ph.D., director of CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

Because organizations do not usually publish information about their worksite programs in the scientific literature, CDC visited select businesses to identify promising worksite obesity prevention and control practices. The CDC LEAN Works! website provides case studies from some of those businesses to provide examples of successful worksite obesity prevention programs.

"Workplace obesity prevention programs can be an effective way for employers to reduce obesity and lower their health-care costs, lower absenteeism and increase employee productivity," said Dr. Dietz. Employers may also see other indirect benefits when they implement these programs, such as improved employee morale, increased worker retention, and improved recruitment of new employees.”

To learn more about CDC LEAN Works!, visit http://www.cdc.gov/leanworks.

For more information about CDC’s efforts to combat obesity, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Verbatim: Diverse Voices Address Small-Biz Need for Health Care Reform

2009-06-15T10:24:00.020-05:00

As often as possible, GoodBiz113 presents diverse perspectives on small business and entrepreneurship from those who help shape policies and practices that impact us. Here's what some folks have been saying these past couple of weeks about the hot-button subject of health care reform...

"Health care expenditures in the United States are currently about 18 percent of GDP, and this share is projected to rise sharply. If health care costs continue to grow at historical rates, the share of GDP devoted to health care in the United States is projected to reach 34 percent by 2040. For households with employer-sponsored health insurance, this trend implies that a progressively smaller fraction of their total compensation will be in the form of take-home pay and a progressively larger fraction will take the form of employer-provided health insurance.

"The rising share of health expenditures also has dire implications for government budgets. Almost half of current health care spending is covered by Federal, state, and local governments. If health care costs continue to grow at historical rates, Medicare and Medicaid spending [both federal and state] will rise to nearly 15 percent of GDP in 2040. Of this increase, roughly one-quarter is estimated to be due to the aging of the population and other demographic effects, and three-quarters is due to rising health care costs.

"Perhaps the most visible sign of the need for health care reform is the 46 million Americans currently without health insurance. CEA projections suggest that this number will rise to about 72 million in 2040 in the absence of reform. A key factor driving this trend is the tendency of small firms not to provide coverage due to the rising cost of health care." -- Council of Economic Advisers [CEA], chaired by Christina Romer [pictured], "The Economic Case for Health Care Reform" [June 2, Executive Office of the President]

* * *

"Nobody supports the status quo. We absolutely have to have reform... If this thing gets derailed, it's going to be bad for everybody." -- James Gelfand, senior manager of health policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, noting that a government plan wouldn't be needed if insurance market reforms, such as prohibiting insurers from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions, were enacted. He hopes the larger goal of health care reform -- lowering costs so more people can afford coverage -- doesn't get lost in battles over public plans and employer mandates. [June 8, "Business Warily Awaits Health Care Reform," Washington Business Journal]

* * *

"...At the individual level, the average American spends about $7,900 per year on health care. Despite that huge outlay, a recent study found that medical problems contributed to 62 percent of all bankruptcies in 2007. From a business perspective, General Motors spends more on health care per automobile than on steel while small-business owners are forced to divert hard-earned profits into health coverage for their employees -- rather than new business investments. And, because of rising costs, many businesses are cutting back drastically on their level of health care coverage or are doing away with it entirely..." -- Sen. Bernie Sanders [I-Vt., pictured], "Health Care Is a Right, Not a Privilege" [June 9, The Huffington Post]

* * *

"It's not tax supported like Medicare; it will be financed by premiums just like regular insurance, except for people who can't afford it. If you have coverage that works, you continue to have coverage that works. The only change will be now the coverage will have to be good. The other change is that your company will be required to provide good coverage or help pay for it. So, for most Americans, nothing's going to change. But for people who don't get coverage that works -- the self-employed, people with several part-time jobs, small business -- they will be able to go into a new health insurance marketplace called the Exchange, a national public insurance company financed by premiums. Unless they make below a certain level, four times poverty, and then they'll be subsidized." -- Richard Kirsch, national campaign manager, Health Care for America Now [HCAN], a national grassroots campaign of more than 1,000 organizations in 46 states -- representing 30 million people -- dedicated to winning comprehensive, quality, affordable health care that we can all count on in 2009. [June 9, "What's the Deal With Obama's Public Health-Care Plan?" Esquire]

* * *

"...The cost of health care has helped leave big corporations like GM and Chrysler at a competitive disadvantage with their foreign counterparts. For small businesses, it’s even worse. One month, they’re forced to cut back on health care benefits. The next month, they've got to drop coverage. The month after that, they have no choice but to start laying off workers...

"I know that there are millions of Americans who are happy, who are content with their health care coverage -- they like their plan, they value their relationship with their doctor. And no matter how we reform health care, I intend to keep this promise: If you like your doctor, you'll be able to keep your doctor; if you like your health care plan, you'll be able to keep your health care plan.

"So don't let people scare you. If you like what you've got, we're not going to make you change. But in order to preserve what's best about our health care system, we have to fix what doesn't work. For we've reached the point where doing nothing about the cost of health care is no longer an option. The status quo is unsustainable. If we don't act, and act soon to bring down costs, it will jeopardize everybody's health care. If we don't act, every American will feel the consequences in higher premiums -- which, by the way, means lower take-home pay, because it's not as if those costs are all borne by your employer; that's money that could have gone to giving you a raise -- in lost jobs and shuttered businesses, in a rising number of uninsured and a rising debt that our children and their children will be paying off for decades..." -- President Barack Obama, during remarks made at a town hall meeting in Green Bay, Wis., on health care and his vision for a Health Insurance Exchange. [June 11, Executive Office of the President]

* * *

"Small businesses in the United States are suffering great harm under our current health care system, and will likely fare far better under a substantially reformed system along the lines of what is currently being debated in Washington -- as long as such a system offers appropriate levels of assistance to small businesses in meeting their health care obligations." -- Small Business Majority, a national nonprofit nonpartisan organization, founded and run by small-business owners, that brings the voice of America's 27 million small businesses to the public-policy table. [June 11, "The Economic Impact of Healthcare Reform on Small Business"]

* * *

"A national health insurance exchange would offer an array of competing private plans and a new public health insurance plan, helping to improve coverage for 138 million currently insured individuals through more choices, better benefits, and/or more affordable premiums, which would be 20 to 30 percent lower than those now charged in the individual and small-business markets for comparable benefits and enrollees. Savings would be realized by employers and households at every income level." -- The Commonwealth Fund, who co-sponsored a report with Consumers Union, suggesting that a comprehensive and high-quality health care system can be established with a mixed public-private insurance system, a requirement for all employers to offer or contribute to coverage of their workers, and an individual coverage mandate. [June 11, "Front and Center: Ensuring That Health Reform Puts People First"]

GoodBiz113's take: Health care is not a Democatic issue nor a Republican issue; it's a very human issue that deserves to be remedied now. Naysayers need to put their politics and egos aside, and embrace President Obama's far-reaching plan that aims to deliver high-quality care at relatively low cost, and provides health insurance for all Americans.

SOURCES: The Commonwealth Fund, Council of Economic Advisers, Esquire, Huffington Post, Small Business Majority, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington Business Journal, The White House, Wikipedia
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