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Congress Must Take Action For The Sake Of Small Businesses

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By Kristie L. Arslan

For several months, the approval rating of Congress has been the lowest of the low.

Individuals across the nation are fed up with the body of lawmakers that cannot seem to compromise and make real traction on improving our economy. Last year’s debates on the federal budget, the debt ceiling and the payroll tax cut illustrated the level of inaction.

Congress closed out 2011 by agreeing to a short-term extension of the payroll tax cut. Now that they are back in session, your lawmakers are wrangling to come to a longer one-year deal.

As they debate another payroll tax extension proposal, I again encourage them to put partisan politics aside and pass the payroll tax extension.

Congress Must Pass The Payroll Tax Extension

It is important that our nation’s smallest businesses have the tools and resources they need to serve the American consumer through this season and beyond. Passing the payroll tax extension will put that extra savings in the pockets of not only consumers, but also in the pockets of the self-employed and micro-business owners who serve as employer and employee.

This relief can help pay for additional supplies, phone lines and online advertising for small businesses that continue to struggle as the economy falters.

So often, the self-employed and micro-businesses are singled out in business legislation. Even though most of the businesses in this country are made up of 10 or fewer employees, and micro-businesses contribute nearly a trillion dollars to the economy, legislation is often less than fair for us.

Other Actions Congress Can Take To Help America’s Smallest Businesses

In addition to the payroll tax break, Congress can invest in small fixes that will go a long way for the small-business community:

• Fix the tax disparities that make small businesses pay more than their corporate counterparts for health insurance
• Increase small-business lending that will help startups create new jobs and help existing businesses expand
• Help individual states launch self-employment training programs for residents

America’s small-business owners expect our nation’s policymakers to find solutions and take actions that will help put people back to work. When small businesses begin to thrive again, so will the U.S. economy.


Kristie L. Arslan is president and CEO of the NASE and provides critical insight to policymakers on issues affecting our nation’s self-employed. You can contact her at advocacy@NASE.org.