• In Focus: Micro-Financing For Micro-Business
• Senate Bill More Lenient On Efficiency Standards
• “Best Practices" Board Would Decrease Health Costs, Group Says

In Focus: Micro-Financing For Micro-Business

Micro-businesses and the self-employed continue to contribute to the nation’s economy while providing new jobs. Yet, access to capital to help business owners grow their companies is still a roadblock. In response, the House Small Business Committee held a hearing to discuss the lack of financing options and how current programs through the Small Business Administration (SBA) have helped. Committee Chairwoman Nydia Velázquez, D-NY, said proposals by the Bush administration to scale back the programs would do irreparable harm. “For many aspiring business owners, a microloan is their only option, and we simply cannot allow these entrepreneurs to be left behind,” commented Chairwoman Nydia Velázquez, D-NY. “The answer is simple: these programs must be permitted to continue and any proposal to diminish them must be firmly rejected.” As Congress sought ways to assist entrepreneurs, the Small Business Administration (SBA) unveiled a new initiative designed to help certain members of the military community start or grow their businesses. “The SBA has made strides in the past several months to expand their outreach efforts to veterans and those who depend on them,” said Kristie Darien, executive director for the NASE’s legislative office. “The NASE is proud to see the launch of the Patriot Express Loan Initiative.” For more details on the initiative, visit www.sba.gov/patriotexpress.

Senate Bill More Lenient On Efficiency Standards The Senate began debate on an energy bill that would override a House amendment requiring similar fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks, which could affect small business owners who use their vehicles for work purposes. When laws were set, vehicles of 8,500 pounds or more were exempt but now large passenger vehicles also fall into this category. “For many of the self-employed, their personal vehicle is also their business vehicle, and many opt for a larger vehicle to do the double duty of transporting personal and business materials,” said Kristie Darien, executive director for the NASE legislative office. “The NASE supports efforts to make business use of an automobile easier.” The Senate bill calls for an exemption of various work trucks of 10,000 pounds or less. Congressional leaders say they hope to pass the energy bill soon in order to move on to other legislation before the July recess. To track the Congressional movement of this legislation, search by bill number under “S 1419” at http://thomas.loc.gov/.   “Best Practices" Board Would Decrease Health Costs, Group Says   2008 Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has endorsed the idea of an independent medical research board as part of her health care proposal in past weeks. Now, a House panel is also voicing their support for widespread, coordinated exploration to formulate a national best practices model for health care professionals. Proponents argue this type of model will boost health savings by increasing efficiency. “Having better information on how various treatments compare to one another will enable doctors and their patients to make informed decisions about whether new or high priced drugs, devices, and other medical treatments do or do not provide better clinical outcomes,” said Representative Tom Allen, D-Maine. “The health care marketplace will be greatly enhanced by independent information more widely disseminated.” The explorations would be performed by a private-public organization to help discover the most effective treatments for a wide variety of diseases. The panel would also set their own agenda as far as which disease would be reviewed and in what order. Numerous participants stated that the panel would need to be non-partisan in order to achieve the best results. Become a media contact and get the opportunity to share your experiences as a micro-business owner! Visit www.NASE.org/mediarelations/contactsheet.asp to fill out an informational sheet on the background of your business. Then, send it back to us at the contact information listed on the sheet. You can put your name in the hat to sound off on key legislative issues, and get some free publicity for your business in the process.