Political Quotes

“I rise today to discuss a measure that has broad bipartisan support. Today, with my colleague from Illinois, Senator Durbin, I am introducing legislation addressing what is a top concern of small business owners in this country. That is the availability of health care. For the past three Congresses, we have worked to level the playing field for America's self-employed by ensuring that they can deduct 100 percent of their health insurance premiums. Large corporations, businesses, and other organizations can deduct 100 percent of what they pay, but small businesses, up until recently, have been severely limited in what they can deduct. The legislation Senator Durbin and I are introducing today, the Self-Employed Health Insurance Act of 2001, will end finally one of the most glaring inequities that has existed in our tax law. I have had the pleasure of serving for over 4 years now as chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business. Throughout, one of my top priorities has been to ensure full deductibility of health insurance for the self-employed.”