Press Releases

WASHINGTON, DC – Today the House Small Business Committee heard testimony from a variety of industry witnesses on whether the tax provisions in the current stimulus have helped small businesses.

The stimulus package has not delivered on its promises of growing the economy and creating jobs. Instead, small employers are struggling financially and laying off workers. Small business owners are worried about tax hikes to pay for the increased government spending and new taxes to fund health care reform, such as the 8% payroll tax and the proposed surtax on those with incomes over $280,000. Tax increases would devastate small business owners.

Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO) stated, “President Obama and Speaker Pelosi promised that their $800 billion dollar “stimulus” would create jobs. But in June, unemployment rose to 9.5%, the highest level in nearly three decades. It is clear that the “stimulus” isn’t working.  Now Speaker Pelosi wants small businesses to pick up the tab for health care.”

At the hearing, Stan Johnson, Jr., owner of Stan's Heating and Air Conditioning in Arlington, VA stated to Committee members, “In February we had a national meeting in Fort Worth, Texas that focused on health care, and we voted with 500 people in the room. Sixty to seventy percent of our membership was in support of what President Obama had on the table at that time. That support has evaporated.  You are taking too much money.”