July 25,2011

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Julia Lawless, Antonia Ferrier, 202.224.4515

Hatch: New Study Confirms Costs Small Businesses Face Under Partisan Health Law

NFIB Study: Majority of Those Surveyed Say Costs to Increase, Rights Infringed Upon, Deficit to Increase, Taxes to Go Up

WASHINGTON – According to a new study by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the majority of American small businesses say the partisan $2.6 trillion health law won’t drive down the costs of health care, will increase taxes on employers, threatens the rights of the American people, and will add to the nation’s deficits. U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee issued the following statement:

“This study is irrefutable proof of how harmful the partisan health law is to our nation and our small businesses,” said Hatch. “Tax hikes, increased costs, more debt and an assault on the American people’s liberty is a recipe for disaster and our job creators know it. It’s time for the Administration to recognize the huge costs of this law on top of a dangerously high unemployment rate and a perilously weak economy.  We need to peel back the greatest expansion of the federal government in a generation and put in place real reform that empowers people and the states to do what’s best for them.”

Specifically, the NFIB study found:

• 65 percent of small businesses say it does nothing to slow down the cost of health insurance – the primary cost driver facing our nation’s job creators despite President Obama’s pledge to reduce premiums for American families by $2,500.
• 65 percent of small businesses say it infringes on the rights of the American people.
• 71 percent of small businesses say it adds to the exploding federal deficits.
• 77 percent of small businesses say it will increase taxes which in turn will directly affect their ability to create jobs.
• 58 percent of small businesses believe that it will lead to a government takeover of health care.

Hatch has championed efforts in Congress to repeal the new health law.  He has introduced S. 19, the American Liberty Restoration Act, to repeal the individual mandate that Hatch has repeatedly called unconstitutional and that is being challenged in a lawsuit put forward by over 20 states.  He has also introduced S. 20, the American Job Protection Act to repeal the job-crushing employer mandate that would force more layoffs and increase taxes on businesses at a time when unemployment continues to push past 9 percent. 

Click HERE to view a copy of the study.

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