Join The Conversation
Jul 12 2012
Share Your Story: Did You Build That?
The President recently articulated his thoughts about our small business owners in Roanoke. Now we would like to hear what you think. Small businesses and family farms are the backbone of our economy in Central and Southside Virginia and in communities across America. Those who have sacrificed to build our small businesses across this country have helped build our communities and helped build the America we have known for generations. If you built your business or if you know someone who did, we encourage you to share your story below.
*Sign up for Robert's exclusive weekly updates here.
Over the past two years, Central and Southside Virginians have witnessed the
negative impacts on their families and businesses as provisions in the
President’s health care law continue to take effect. People throughout the 5th
District have expressed the need to repeal this job-destroying law that places
additional burdens on the American people at a time when we can least afford it.
We have heard many stories from 5th District Virginians about how this law has
impacted their families and their small businesses, and today we hope that you
will share your story with us.
As the Supreme Court considers the constitutionality of this law, we must
keep in mind that it is the American people that will ultimately decide if this
law is right for our country. The people of the 5th District have spoken, and
they have said we can’t afford the President’s health care law, which will
continue to increase premiums, raise taxes, and ultimately cost us individual
liberties this great democracy was founded upon. The House will continue to work
on your behalf so that we may repeal this law and replace it with
patient-centered solutions that will empower the American people and not the
federal government and create greater access to the affordable, quality care
that you have demanded.
Please take a moment to share your story below about how the President’s health
care law has affected your family, your job, or your small business. You may post your story below or email us here. Thank you.
Quick Facts
• In 2014, the President’s health care law requires all employers with 50 or
more full-time workers to provide insurance or pay fines.
• However, 30 percent or more say they would likely drop insurance and pay
fines.
• President Obama promised that the health care law would reduce premiums by
$2,500 for the average family of four. However, from 2008 to 2011, premiums
increased by nearly $2,200 for the average family according to the Kaiser Family
Foundation.
• The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that the law’s new insurance
mandates will increase premiums on the individual market by an additional $2,100
per family by 2016.
• The President’s health care law contains $500 billion in tax increases,
which will begin taking effect in 2013.
• According to the CBO, federal spending on health care will reach 10.7% of
GDP in 2037, up from 5.4% in 2011, much of it driven by the $2.5 trillion in
spending that the health care law provides.
Mar 28 2012
Three Years Of A Wrong Perscription: President Obama’s Health Care Law
Bad For Patients, Bad For Taxpayers, Bad For American Business, And Bad For Virginia’s 5th District
Saturday, March 23 marks the third year since the President’s health care law has been in effect. In the past three years, we have seen premiums increase on our families, taxes increase on our job creators, and our debt and deficits grow as the health care law continues to be implemented. As I travel across the 5th District, I have seen firsthand the pain this law has caused to our families and small business owners by creating economic uncertainty, destroying jobs, and increasing costs. Some of our local businesses have refrained from expanding so they will not cross the 50-employee threshold and incur substantial fines, and some have closed down altogether citing the President’s health care law as a disincentive to passing their businesses onto their children. We in the House remain committed to fighting against this government takeover of health care. We believe it is wrong for our families, our small businesses, and our communities. We will continue to fight for patient-centered reform and for affordable, quality care on behalf of Virginia’s 5th District. We wanted to be sure you saw the below story about Virginia businesses affected by this law. If you have a story about how the President’s health care law has negatively impacted you, we encourage you to share it below.
Stories About The President’s Health Care Law From 5th District Virginians
My many stops and meetings throughout the 5th District have painted a clear picture of the concerns 5th District Virginians have regarding the most pressing issues facing our country today. Many of these concerns revolve around the uncertainty and the negative impacts the President’s health care law has on our citizens. These policies put forth in Washington have very real effects on the people that I represent in the 5th District. This law places undue burdens on our convenience store owners, our care providers, our families, individuals, and our small businesses; the lifeblood of our economy and those who do not deserve the additional burdens that this over-reaching law has caused – their stories are below:
• CRIPPLING THE ENTREPRENERUIAL SPIRIT/REDUCING ACCESS TO CARE
A 5th District physician who has a small business that he built from the ground up, which serves and provides affordable quality care to over 16,000 patients in the area and employs over 30 people, is now in jeopardy due to the President’s health care law. Due to the uncertainty caused by tax hikes and the costs of additional regulations, he is now unsure if he can continue to sustain his business. This means that over 16,000 in the area could lose their access to affordable, quality care, over 30 people could lose their jobs, and one man could lose his dream – his business that he has invested his time, resources, and care into so that he could serve others.
• PREVENTING JOB CREATION AND DISCOURAGING EMPLOYERS TO PROVIDE COVERAGE
A convenience store owner in Campbell County who has five stores and 48 employees has the desire and the resources to expand, but won’t for fear of the costs he would incur based on provisions in the President’s health care law. This man wants to build two more convenience stores and create new jobs in the 5th District, but he is unwilling to do so because of the mandates and taxes that will be imposed on his business as a part of the job-destroying government takeover of health care – they could put him out of business.