Helping Small Businesses

Senator Roberts, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, voted to approve long-overdue legislation to allow small businesses to pool together to offer affordable health insurance to employees. The bill, The Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization Act, now goes to the full Senate for a debate and vote. In Kansas, only about 41 percent of small businesses with 50 or fewer employees offer health insurance coverage to their employees. Roberts said that small businesses should not be forced to choose between staying in business or offering health insurance to their employees. With this legislation, employers have affordable health insurance choices and can decide what makes the most sense for themselves, their families, and their employees.

Senator Roberts welcomed fifteen cities in Kansas to his Washington, DC office during the League of Municipalities annual conference. Folks were in town to discuss transportation and ways to encourage economic development and increased business growth in Kansas communities. Visiting were officials from Abilene, Ottawa, Olathe, Lansing, Lenexa, Overland Park, Junction City, Manhattan, Mission, Fairway, Arkansas City, Rose Hill, Shawnee, Emporia, and Leavenworth.

Great news came from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) when they announced federal aid will be heading to Northeast Kansas to help producers recover from major flooding last October. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has allocated $930,000 in Emergency Conservation Program funding to Atchison, Jackson, Jefferson, Leavenworth and Shawnee Counties. According to the Kansas FSA office, damage from the flood on October 2, 2005 included: erosion, loss of livestock, fence damage, pond and watershed dam erosion and damage, terrace and diversion damage, debris, building, equipment, and machinery damage, and crop loss. "My sympathies are with area producers facing losses from this storm and I am pleased to see these funds on their way," Senator Roberts said.

Senator Roberts addressed the Kansas Farm Bureau County Presidents in Washington, DC at their annual meeting. The following excerpts are from his speech:

"Folks, I don’t have to tell you that we’ve got our work cut out for us. From higher input costs for fuel, fertilizer, international trade commitments, and urbanization there are a variety of challenges before us. I’m not up here to preach doom and gloom. We’ve weathered storms in the past – and we’ll ride this one out, we just have to work together.

"We must also anticipate future challenges to our programs from international trading partners. We cannot wait around for another Brazil Cotton Case. In Hong Kong we agreed to mutually eliminate export subsidies by 2013. But, we will not be able to move forward in negotiations unless other countries are willing to make real reductions in their spending on agriculture programs and increase access to their markets.

"Another major decision that needs to be made is the proper balance between commodity and conservation programs. It is a constant struggle in Congress as to whether a majority of the funds should go to commodity or conservation programs. We really need to think about how these programs fit together. Conservation programs are receiving more interest and attention from Congress in every Farm Bill, and I expect that to continue into 2007.

"I also encourage you to think about the investments we can make through agricultural research and rural development. I constantly hear about the need to continue to improve our crop varieties and disease resistance along with the need for an improved rural infrastructure."