Congressman Mike Sodrel

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Congressman Sodrel working to help small businesses

As a former businessman himself, Congressman Sodrel understands the importance of small businesses as the backbone of the U.S. economy and to local communities. However, the federal government is often a burden to these economic incubators and is working on behalf of small businesses to help them remain competitive in a changing marketplace.

· Congressman Sodrel is an active member of the House Small Business Committee and a member of the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform and Oversight and Subcommittee on Rural Enterprises, Agriculture, and Technology. He has attended hearings on several topics affecting small business including the death tax, government regulatory burdens and emerging technologies to further understand and address the issues facing small business leaders.

· Many small businesses are caught unaware and devastated when one of their large customers not only goes bankrupt but sues them to recover payments made on outstanding invoices. To address this issue, Congressman Sodrel introduced H.R. 4296, The Innocent Supplier Fairness Act, to prevent bankrupt companies from suing their suppliers to recoup any payments made in the 90 days before bankruptcy. Small business should hot have to worry about being dragged into a legal proceeding for selling a product or service.

· Congressman Sodrel believes taxes are a huge burden for small businesses and there is a need to change to the U.S. tax code to allow small businesses to strive. Therefore, Congressman Sodrel is co-sponsor of H.R.25 which would repeal all federal taxes and replace them with a national retail sales tax to be administered primarily by the States. This would drive out all the costs associated with compliance and the taxes absorbed as business expenses driving done the costs of goods an estimated 40%.

In addition, Congressman Sodrel is co-sponsor of H.R 3841, the Small Employer Tax Relief Act of 2005, which would repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT), accelerate depreciation expensing, allow tax deductions for health premiums, and simplify the handling of tax payments and allow more favorable tax treatment for family businesses.

· During the loss of a love one, a bill from the IRS should be the farthest from anyone’s mind. However, the estate tax is a reality and hurts the continuation of small businesses from one generation to the next. To end the “death tax” Congressman Sodrel is co-sponsor of H.R. 64 to permanently repeal the “Death Tax” to help small businesses survive. He has also voted for H.R. 8 to phase out the “Death Tax” by 2011.

· Large corporations and unions have the ability to purchase health care for its employees and members by pool their resources together to be competitive consumers. Small businesses are unable to take the same advantage making it cost prohibitive to provide health care. To make health care more affordable for small businesses, Congressman Sodrel is co-sponsor of H.R. 525, the Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2005, which would allow businesses to join associated health plans (AHPs) to help find lower cost medical coverage for their employees.

· Frivolous lawsuits are extremely harmful and costly for small businesses. Congressman Sodrel believes small businesses should not forced into court because trial lawyers are searching for a quick dollar off the back of hard-working Americans. He is co-sponsor of H.R. 554 to prevent lawsuits against restaurants and food sellers, overwhelmingly owned by small businessmen, by consumers who became fat by eating their products.

· The regulatory burden of federal government actions can cause significant financial hardships for small businesses. To ensure the federal bureaucrats in Washington, DC consider the impacts on small businesses, Congressman Sodrel is co-sponsor of an Amendment to the Regulatory Flexibility Act to require that the potential impacts on small business of new government rules be fully evaluated for their negative consequences and costs (H.R. 682).