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Washington Watch
September 4, 2003
Congress Returns to
Washington, NASE Prepares for Busy Month
After a month-long recess back in their home
districts, Congress returns to Washington this week,
and the NASE is ready to advocate on your behalf.
Eliminating the inequity that requires sole
proprietors to pay an extra 15.3 percent in
self-employment taxes on their health insurance
premiums holds top priority for the NASE this year.
Since the introduction of H.R. 1873, the
Self-Employed Health Care Affordability Act, in
April, 22 members of the House of Representatives
signed on as cosponsors. The NASE continues to rally
supporters and educate members on this important
issue.
You can help the NASE by sending letters to your
representatives on the issues that affect you and your
micro-business. Visit the NASE
Legislative
Action Center to learn more, write Congress or
Tell Your Story.
NASE Sponsors SBA 50th Anniversary
Expo
Helping to celebrate 50 years of service to
America's small businesses, the NASE is a proud sponsor of
the
U.S. Small Business Administration's National
Entrepreneurial Conference & Expo in Washington, D.C.,
September 17-19, 2003.
As the highlight of the year-long 50th anniversary
celebration, the Conference and Expo will feature business
sessions, matchmaking opportunities for government
contracting and over 175 exhibitors. The National Small
Business Person of the Year will be announced and a new
"Hall of Fame," honoring the highest achievements in
entrepreneurialism, will be inaugurated. In addition, the
"Celebrating Women in Business" breakfast will recognize the
rising number of talented women business leaders in America
today.
National recognition of the agency's 50th anniversary kicked
off August 1 at The Dwight D. Eisenhower Library and Museum
in Abilene, Kan., where the signing of the Small Business
Act by President Eisenhower on July 30, 1953 was
commemorated. Ten public forums from October to April 2004
will allow small business owners to voice their needs, and
learn how the Small Business Administration can assist them.
For more information on the National Entrepreneurial
Conference and Expo, visit
www.sba.gov/50.
IRS Taxpayer Advocate Announces 2004
Priorities
Electronic tax filing, financial literacy and research on
abusive tax schemes are top priorities for the Internal Revenue
Service Taxpayer Advocate for fiscal year 2004. These issues
were cited in the Advocate’s annual report to Congress last
month, along with a review of the previous year’s activities.
The IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) assists taxpayers in
resolving problems with the IRS and makes administrative and
legislative recommendations to Congress and within the agency to
mitigate those problems. In reviewing the past fiscal year’s
activities, the National Taxpayer Advocate, Nina Olson, reported
working on Earned Income Tax Credit certification,
Offers-in-Compromise, Individual Taxpayer Identification
Numbers, the Federal Payment Levy program, Collection Due
Process hearings, and the implementation of the National
Research Project.
The NASE continues to support the work of the Taxpayer
Advocate Service, and encourages members who have an ongoing
issue with the IRS that has not been resolved through normal
processes to contact the service.
Click here for more information.
Upcoming Events
September promises to be a busy month for small business
advocates. Mark your calendar for these important events.
Women Entrepreneurship Conference in Tampa, Florida
Tampa will host the next Women Entrepreneurship in the
21st Century conference, sponsored by the U.S. Small
Business Administration and Department of Labor, on
September 23. The day includes keynote addresses by
Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, and SBA Administrator Hector
Barretto, breakout sessions addressing access to capital,
marketing and federal procurement, and networking
opportunities. The event is free and open to all women
entrepreneurs. Visit
www.women-21.gov for more information.
“Women’s Business Connection” Conference Call:
Latina-Owned Businesses
In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, September’s
“Women’s Business Connection” conference call will focus on
the accomplishments of Latina-owned businesses across the
country. The National Women’s Business Center hosts the
conference calls, held the fourth Tuesday of each month. To
take place in this call, September 23 at 3:00 p.m. EST, Call
1-877-326-2337, and enter code #3687613. For more
information contact
Lindi.Harvey@sba.gov.
SBA Ombudsman Schedule of Events
The U.S. Small Business Administration National Ombudsman
released the September schedule of hearings and roundtables
across the country. Ombudsman Michael Barrera’s primary
mission is to assist small businesses when they experience
excessive federal regulatory enforcement actions, such as
repetitive audits or investigations, excessive fines,
penalties, threats, retaliation or other unfair enforcement
action by a federal agency. The hearings and roundtables are
an opportunity for micro-business owners to voice their
concerns about regulatory burdens.
September 15-16: Regulatory Fairness Boards Annual
Conference, Crystal City, Virginia
September 23: RegFair Roundtable, Montpelier, Vermont
September 24: RegFair Roundtable, Concord, New
Hampshire
September 25: RegFair Roundtable, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania
September 26: RegFair Roundtable, Albany, New York
For more information, visit
www.sba.gov/ombudsman.
Do any of these issues affect you? Visit the NASE Legislative
Action Center and “Tell Your
Micro-Business Story.” This will help the NASE understand -
on a personal level - how key legislative issues are affecting
your business and your bottom line.
For more information about any of the articles in
Washington Watch, contact Maureen Petron, NASE public
affairs manager, at (202) 466-2100 or
mpetron@nase.org.
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