WASHINGTON, DC—In his weekly address, President Obama told the American people that the House of Representatives left town last week without finishing important work that would create jobs and strengthen our economy. Congress left proposals sitting on the table like the veterans’ jobs corps that helps returning heroes find work as cops and firefighters, and the farm bill that helps farmers and ranchers respond to natural disasters like the drought we had this summer. Congress also could have given responsible homeowners the opportunity to save an extra $3,000 a year on their mortgages by refinancing at historically low rates, and 98% of Americans and 97% of small business owners a guarantee that taxes will not go up next year. These proposals have bipartisan support, and there is no reason that they shouldn’t be passed. The President calls on Congress to take these steps when they return to work in November to grow our economy based on a strong and secure middle class and move our country forward.
Showing posts with label small business owner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label small business owner. Show all posts
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Affordable Care Act, Health Insurance Reform, Works As It Approaches 2nd Anniversary
I wrote the following article appearing today over at NewJerseyNewsroom.com:
March 23rd marks the second anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and while many on the “right” attack its passage as being an attempt to “socialize” America’s health care system and an affront to their personal freedom of choice to decide what’s best for them, it is important to remember what it will mean to millions of seniors, children, small business owners and the rest of us if the Affordable Care Act law is watered down or abolished.
For seniors, the ACA has meant that they will not have to worry about falling back into the prescription drug “donut hole.” It means keeping seniors healthy by giving them preventive care without a co-pay or a deductible. And it means that 32.5 million seniors received one or more free preventive care services, including an annual wellness visit. Screenings for bone density, diabetes and certain cancers were part of these wellness visits. All of which means that health problems can be detected and treated sooner.
For children, the ACA ends some of the worst insurance company abuses, such as denying children care because of a pre-existing condition. As many as 17 million children under the age of 18 have some type of pre-existing condition. It eliminates cost-sharing for preventive health services and requires insurers to cover, at no cost, comprehensive screenings and preventative care for children as defined by the “Bright Futures” standards issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics, including well-child visits. The ACA also extends funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) through September 30, 2015. Without the Affordable Care Act, many states would have cut funding to this program that provides critical services to children.
For small business owners, the ACA lowers health costs for small businesses by allowing them to band together in health exchanges that will be created in each state. This will allow small business owners to receive the same rates as large companies, saving them on average 18 percent on premiums. The ACA also lowers the cost of providing health care by providing tax breaks to small businesses. Currently, 4 million small businesses have access to tax credits to help with the cost of health premiums. This in turn means that small businesses now have an opportunity to offer their employees coverage, and they do not have to put the costs of providing health care over hiring more workers.
As for the rest of us the benefits provided by the Affordable Health Care Act may not be as obvious but they are no less significant. Individuals no longer need to feel “job locked” because of fears of losing health coverage due preexisting health conditions of themselves or loved ones. They will have access to quality care regardless, giving them the freedom and security to pursue any job that they may want, which in turn will help boost our economy. And beginning next year, the ACA will bar insurers from establishing lifetime coverage limits on the dollar value of coverage. In other words, if you have a catastrophic health event, insurance companies cannot cap payouts leaving individuals without coverage.
Furthermore, the ACA has provided the government with the necessary tools to crack down on the waste, fraud and abuse of Medicare and Medicaid. In the past two years the government has recovered over $8 billion through fraud prevention and enforcement that has helped offset the cost of these programs for the American public.
The Affordable Care Act works. Today millions of Americans have access to affordable health cover that they did not have access to before. It must be protected from those that wish to play political games that will take away all the benefits that so many are currently receiving as a result of it.
March 23rd marks the second anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and while many on the “right” attack its passage as being an attempt to “socialize” America’s health care system and an affront to their personal freedom of choice to decide what’s best for them, it is important to remember what it will mean to millions of seniors, children, small business owners and the rest of us if the Affordable Care Act law is watered down or abolished.
For children, the ACA ends some of the worst insurance company abuses, such as denying children care because of a pre-existing condition. As many as 17 million children under the age of 18 have some type of pre-existing condition. It eliminates cost-sharing for preventive health services and requires insurers to cover, at no cost, comprehensive screenings and preventative care for children as defined by the “Bright Futures” standards issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics, including well-child visits. The ACA also extends funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) through September 30, 2015. Without the Affordable Care Act, many states would have cut funding to this program that provides critical services to children.
For small business owners, the ACA lowers health costs for small businesses by allowing them to band together in health exchanges that will be created in each state. This will allow small business owners to receive the same rates as large companies, saving them on average 18 percent on premiums. The ACA also lowers the cost of providing health care by providing tax breaks to small businesses. Currently, 4 million small businesses have access to tax credits to help with the cost of health premiums. This in turn means that small businesses now have an opportunity to offer their employees coverage, and they do not have to put the costs of providing health care over hiring more workers.
As for the rest of us the benefits provided by the Affordable Health Care Act may not be as obvious but they are no less significant. Individuals no longer need to feel “job locked” because of fears of losing health coverage due preexisting health conditions of themselves or loved ones. They will have access to quality care regardless, giving them the freedom and security to pursue any job that they may want, which in turn will help boost our economy. And beginning next year, the ACA will bar insurers from establishing lifetime coverage limits on the dollar value of coverage. In other words, if you have a catastrophic health event, insurance companies cannot cap payouts leaving individuals without coverage.
Furthermore, the ACA has provided the government with the necessary tools to crack down on the waste, fraud and abuse of Medicare and Medicaid. In the past two years the government has recovered over $8 billion through fraud prevention and enforcement that has helped offset the cost of these programs for the American public.
The Affordable Care Act works. Today millions of Americans have access to affordable health cover that they did not have access to before. It must be protected from those that wish to play political games that will take away all the benefits that so many are currently receiving as a result of it.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Rush Holt: Education Reform Based on Evidence, Not Ideology
From Congressman Rush Holt's Newsletter:
Last week, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, on which I serve, considered a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), currently known as No Child Left Behind.
While I agree with the basic principles of ESEA – that schools should be accountable for demonstrating that students are learning and that any definition of success must include all students and not just the best – I believe that the law needs reforming. I am working to improve teacher training, to increase funding for science and foreign language education, and to strengthen collection of student data so that we can see how well individual students are learning.
Education reform has always been bipartisan in the past. Since the first ESEA in 1965, Democrats and Republicans have worked together to close the skills gap and eliminate inequality in education, not just provide additional funds for schools to use as they please.
Unfortunately, the Committee considered two partisan bills that would move away from the crying need to close the gap between good schools and the many underperforming schools that are condemning millions of children to diminished opportunities in life. These flawed bills would let states and local school districts reduce education funding and even shift funds away from the schools with the most need. Particularly glaring, they ignored science education all together.
I voted for a comprehensive alternative that would address the concerns raised by parents, students, teachers, principals, and other school officials. You can watch a video of my remarks here.
Federal Procurement Workshop on Wednesday
On Wednesday morning, I’ll join representatives from the U.S. General Services Administration, the U.S. Small Business Association, and the New Jersey Small Business Development Centers to host a free federal procurement workshop for Central New Jersey small business owners.
We will share information about doing business with the federal government, an overview of the federal procurement process, and insight on obtaining federal contracts.
For more information or to RSVP, click here or call
Andrew Black of my staff at (609) 750-9365.
Federal Procurement Workshop for Small Business Owners
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Monmouth County Library Headquarters
125 Symmes Drive
Manalapan, New Jersey
Daylight Saving Time Begins on Sunday
As a reminder, daylight saving time begins this Sunday, March 11 at 2:00 a.m. Be sure to remember to set your clocks forward by one hour.
Sincerely,
Rush Holt
Member of Congress
Last week, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, on which I serve, considered a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), currently known as No Child Left Behind.
While I agree with the basic principles of ESEA – that schools should be accountable for demonstrating that students are learning and that any definition of success must include all students and not just the best – I believe that the law needs reforming. I am working to improve teacher training, to increase funding for science and foreign language education, and to strengthen collection of student data so that we can see how well individual students are learning.
Education reform has always been bipartisan in the past. Since the first ESEA in 1965, Democrats and Republicans have worked together to close the skills gap and eliminate inequality in education, not just provide additional funds for schools to use as they please.
Unfortunately, the Committee considered two partisan bills that would move away from the crying need to close the gap between good schools and the many underperforming schools that are condemning millions of children to diminished opportunities in life. These flawed bills would let states and local school districts reduce education funding and even shift funds away from the schools with the most need. Particularly glaring, they ignored science education all together.
I voted for a comprehensive alternative that would address the concerns raised by parents, students, teachers, principals, and other school officials. You can watch a video of my remarks here.
Federal Procurement Workshop on Wednesday
On Wednesday morning, I’ll join representatives from the U.S. General Services Administration, the U.S. Small Business Association, and the New Jersey Small Business Development Centers to host a free federal procurement workshop for Central New Jersey small business owners.
We will share information about doing business with the federal government, an overview of the federal procurement process, and insight on obtaining federal contracts.
For more information or to RSVP, click here or call
Andrew Black of my staff at (609) 750-9365.
Federal Procurement Workshop for Small Business Owners
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Monmouth County Library Headquarters
125 Symmes Drive
Manalapan, New Jersey
Daylight Saving Time Begins on Sunday
As a reminder, daylight saving time begins this Sunday, March 11 at 2:00 a.m. Be sure to remember to set your clocks forward by one hour.
Sincerely,
Rush Holt
Member of Congress
Sunday, October 30, 2011
APP Endorses Gopal For Assembly While Backing GOP Incumbents
This past Thursday the Asbury Park Press's Editorial Board came out with its endorsements for the new 11th Legislative District, in so doing the board once again has recommend that voters split their votes in the district, which leaves some to scratch their heads.
PoorBob
8:03 AM on October 28, 2011
sir99
11:35 AM on October 28, 2011
fraudfinder
7:05 PM on October 28, 2011
After reeling against incumbents all year long in their editorials, the APP has chosen to endorse two of them in Jen Beck and Caroline Casagrande, both Republicans that have shown that they will do or say anything to get reelected. They have both flipped-flopped on many issues that directly relate to their new district this year, gay marriage, women's health care issues and the funding of Planned Parenthood, just to name a few. It seems as though the only reason why the APP has chosen to endorse these two is because they seem to "tow the party line" on most, if not all the other issues that don't seem to have a direct impact on their reelection bids.
On the flip side of these endorsements the APP has decided to endorse Democrat Vin Gopal for one of the other Assembly seats up for grabs over Casagrande's running mate, Mary Pat Angelini.
In it's endorsement the APP had this to say about Gopal, "... we believe Gopal, who owns several small businesses including a group of community newspapers, would offer a fresh, perceptive set of eyes on the continuing set of problems plaguing New Jersey. In addition, he seems to be a candidate willing to compromise in order to get much-needed work done...."
Gopal, who was born in Neptune and grew up in Freehold currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Northern Monmouth Chamber of Commerce and was elected to a three year term as President of the Hazlet Business Owners Association in January of 2010. Vin Gopal also serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Monmouth County where he is a member of their Finance Committee. Gopal also serves on the Advisory Board of New Leaders Council – New Jersey, is clearly the right choice for the State Assembly in the 11th district.
The same can't be said for Beck who is running against Ray Santiago in the for the open State Senate seat. She received a number of negative reader comments left by posters on the APP website.
Here are a few:
PoorBob
8:03 AM on October 28, 2011
It seems the APP glossed over Jennifer Beck's record. She IS NOT an ally of Chris Christie (have you seen the governor endorse her?). Beck attempted to override Christie's defunding of Planned Parenthood--the largest provider of abortions. She was one of two Republicans that attempted that ghastly deed. Thank god Chris Christie prevailed on that issue.
Jennifer Beck also received campaign contributions from Solomon Dwek. When it was exposed, Beck claims she "donated" it to charity; however, she refuses to be transparent and show proof of such donation. Isn't she the one that wants others to be transparent??
She is now for gay marriage. In her old district, she was against it. Gee, you think the large population of gay and lesbians in her new district had something to do with her flip-flopping??
Read below, and decide if you want Jennifer Beck around (again).
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dump-State-Senator-Jennifer-Beck/181295051917672
sir99
11:35 AM on October 28, 2011
Beck is nothing more than a shill for her special interest contributors. When the Freehold Regional district wash awash with the Call me Doctor Wasser issue, she refused to get involved. That is up until it became the story of the year in the APP. Only then did she say a single word. Beck had the opportunity to go to bat for all the school districts that feed the regional but chose to only speak up for the regional who was fronted by one of her major contributors.
fraudfinder
7:05 PM on October 28, 2011
Are you kidding me?? Beck received money from Solomon Dwek??? What was she supposed to do..do what the other politicians did--vote for something and get something in return???
I read that "Dump Beck Site" I just can't believe her driver's license got suspended so many times. What a hypocrite, she likes to make laws, but not obey them.
It seems the people in Tinton Falls are angry with her for the same reason the people in the Freehold Regional HS District are angry--she did not go to an important Board meeting regarding the Fort Monmouth (non-military) kids going to their schools and costing them a huge amount. They reside within the jurisdiction of Colts Neck--why haven't they accepted them??? Where is Casagrande on this???
I can't believe they were endorsed by the APP---It is indeed time for a change!!!
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