ALSO SUPPORTED FAILED EFFORT TO ADD HEALTH BENEFITS AND SMALL BUSINESS TAX RELIEF TO WAGE INCREASE

Washington, Jan 10, 2007 - "If Congress can entitle itself to a yearly cost-of-living increase, then we should support an increase in the wages of working Americans," said Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Ocala).  The House today approved H.R. 2, increasing the federal minimum wage to $7.25 an hour.  While supporting the increase in the minimum wage, Stearns also supported an unsuccessful effort to add tax relief for small business and expanded access to heath care for workers to the legislation.

"To ease the burden on small businesses and to provide meaningful benefits to those who work for them, we should add the Working Families Wage & Access to Health Care Act to this bill," added Stearns.  "This would establish Small Business Health Plans that allow small businesses to band together through associations and purchase quality health care for workers and their families at a lower cost.  These plans would increase small businesses' bargaining power with health care providers, and lower their health care costs by as much as 30 percent."

"Since this increases the cost of doing business, we also should extend the expensing provision for small businesses, shorten the period for restaurant depreciation, and end the unemployment surtax that harms low-income workers," concluded Stearns."