Thomas Mott Osborne: “Mr. Speaker, I represent a district that is entirely rural and has nothing but small businesses in it. The number one…”

“Mr. Speaker, I represent a district that is entirely rural and has nothing but small businesses in it. The number one complaint that I hear is about the cost of health insurance. These businesses employ more employees than all of the other industries in the country. They are the driving force behind it; and more and more of these individuals, as has been mentioned in the previous debate, are simply having to reduce or eliminate their health care coverage because it is going up 15, 20 percent every year and they simply cannot afford it. I would like to give one personal example. I have a son-in-law who is managing a small franchise company, has 130 franchises in roughly 30, 40 States, and he says that this is the number one priority they have as far as health insurance, that if they could have an association of health plans, this would certainly cut their costs and enable them to maintain their health insurance at the present level. I appreciate the authors of the substitute. I think they are thoughtful people. I am sure they have done a good job at doing their homework, but at this point I would certainly have to oppose the substitute and support the underlying bill.”