• Supreme Court Battle to Take Center Stage in Senate
• Junk Fax Prevention Act Passes Congress
• NASE Supports National Campaign to Get Kids Insured

Supreme Court Battle to Take Center Stage in Senate

Justice Sandra Day O’Connor The fireworks in downtown Washington, D.C., this past weekend were for Independence Day celebrations but are sure to continue in Congress throughout this year with the resignation of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. O’Connor was the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court by President Ronald Reagan in 1981. O’Connor was known for being a centrist and would cast the deciding vote on many occasions. Speculation and opinions on possible nominees to replace O’Connor has already taken off on both sides of the political aisle. President Bush is expected to name his choice anytime after his return from Europe this week for the G-8 summit of world leaders. After Bush does so, the Senate Judiciary Committee holds hearings on the nominee and then the entire Senate votes on whether to confirm them onto the Supreme Court. Those hearings could begin as early as August and Republican Majority Leader Senator Bill Frist, said he wants the new associate justice to take the bench when the next court term begins in early October. The hearings and debate on the justice nominee are expected to take center stage in the Senate, pushing aside most other legislative activity. In the meantime, the Senate will scramble to get a compromise with the House of Representatives on the highway and energy bills currently under review before the nomination dominates the floor. Additionally, there has been speculation that Chief Justice William Rehnquist may retire from the Supreme Court after battling cancer last year. In that case, debate would dominate the Senate even longer. Junk Fax Prevention Act Passes Congress The Junk Fax Prevention Act of 2005 reversing a pending 2003 Federal Communications Commission rule that would require all businesses to have prior written consent from those whom they want to send business-related faxes. The rule was scheduled to go into effect July 1. Previously, businesses could send unsolicited advertisement faxes to a recipient with which the business had an established business relationship. Established business relationships (EBR), according to the Small Business Legislative Council, involve a prior or existing relationship formed by a voluntary two-way communication between the sender and recipient. S. 714, is expected to be signed into law by President Bush. Its purpose is to control unsolicited faxes without hurting businesses that need it as a form of communication. Under this bill, while businesses can send unsolicited faxes to customers with EBR, they must give the recipient a chance to opt out. Businesses must make contact information on the fax clear and have a 24-hour a day means to opt out. Senders must obtain the fax numbers through their own relationships or from public information to deter the selling of lists from third parties. Congress did consider the costs of how much the opt out feature may cost small businesses. It granted the FCC the authority to exempt certain businesses if the costs of providing it are unduly burdensome. For more information on the Junk Fax Prevention Act of 2005, visit http://thomas.loc.gov/ and search S. 714. NASE Supports National Campaign to Get Kids Insured Over 8 million children do not have health insurance in this country with more than half of that number being African American or Hispanic children. The NASE recognizes the need for affordable health care coverage in this country and is teaming up with many national organizations in support of Covering Kids & Families Back-to-School Campaign. The campaign’s purpose is to encourage parents to enroll children in low-cost or free health coverage. An estimated 4 million uninsured children, as well as millions of adults, qualify for such programs as Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Programs (SCHIP), or other state-sponsored programs. However, many people are unaware of such programs or find it difficult to enroll. Statewide and local events will occur in early August to inform families of their health options. The campaign will kick off in Washington, D.C. on August 2, 2005. This year’s focus will be on outreach to African American and Hispanic communities to get children insured. The Covering Kids & Families coalition focuses on three strategies: Conduct and coordinate outreach programs. Simplify enrollment and renewal processes. Coordinate existing health care coverage programs. “There are too many families in this country forced to choose between paying for groceries and paying for prescriptions. The Covering Kids & Families Back-to-School Campaign provides an important opportunity to help parents find a way to do both,” said Kristie Darien, executive director for the NASE legislative office. “We encourage all of our members to get involved with this week in their communities.” The NASE works year-round to make health insurance more affordable for micro-business owners. The association continues to fight for the elimination of the self-employment tax on health insurance costs and supports health care tax credits, health savings accounts and association health plans. For more information on the NASE's position on health care, visit http://advocacy.nase.org/. Visit http://coveringkidsandfamilies.org/ for more information and updates on events in your area during the month of August.

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