Feb. 27, 1997
National Association for the Self-Employed recognizes
13 members of Congress with Legislative Visionary award
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The National Association for the Self-Employed today
honored seven senators and six representatives with its annual Legislative
Visionary award. The commendation recognized exemplary leadership and
support for small business during 1996.
"Almost every legislator in Congress says they support small business,"
said NASE President Bennie L. Thayer. "These awards recognize those lawmakers
who actually turn that support into action, by working to pass or block
legislation, taking a firm stand on a controversial issue or addressing a
problem that others overlooked."
The Legislative Visionary awards were given to:
- Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.), chairman of the Senate Small-Business Committee,
for ensuring passage of the landmark Small-Business Regulatory Enforcement
Act (SBREFA) and strengthening the Small-Business Committee as a strong
advocate for small-business owners;
- Sen. Paul Coverdell (R-Ga.), Rep. Bill Thomas (R-Calif.) and Rep. Denny
Hastert (R-Ill.), for ensuring last year's health insurance reform legislation
allowed self-employed workers to contribute to medical savings accounts;
- Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), for ensuring passage of legislation
that broadened IRAs for non-wage-earning spouses;
- Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-Neb.), for pioneering efforts to protect and reform
Social Security;
- Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), for
preventing patent reform legislation from passing that would have hurt
small businesses;
- Sen. Don Nickles (R-Okla.), for achieving the first steps toward
clarifying the rules governing independent contractor status;
- Sen. Bill Roth (R-Del.), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, for
expanding savings programs for small businesses by creating the SIMPLE
pension program and continuing leadership for Individual Retirement
Accounts;
- Rep. Bill Archer (R-Texas), chairman of the House Ways and Means
Committee, for ensuring passage of legislation that improved small
businesses' ability to "direct expense," raised the amount of health
insurance costs the self-employed can deduct and postponed the
Electronic Federal Tax Payment System mandate for small business;
- Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.) and Charles Stenholm (D-Texas), for
co-founding the Public Pension Reform Caucus, a forum to debate retirement
savings, pensions and Social Security.
"Small businesses are the engine that drives the U.S. economy," Thayer
concluded. "More Americans today work for the smallest businesses than
the largest companies. By working to solve current small business problems
and lay a groundwork for the future, these are some of Congress' real leaders
-- the ones who are taking concrete steps to enable smaller companies to
succeed, benefiting the entire nation. The NASE is grateful for their
efforts and proud to salute their leadership."
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