WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines hailed the unanimous passage of bipartisan legislation to protect small businesses from costly and burdensome Obamacare mandates.
H.R. 1624, the Protecting Affordable Coverage for Employees (PACE) Act sponsored by Representative Brett Guthrie (R-KY) would alter the definition of the state based small group markets under Obamacare. The Act allows states to change their definition of “small employers” from businesses with 50 or fewer employees to businesses with up to 100 employees.
“I am pleased that the Senate passed bipartisan legislation to ensure that our small businesses and mid-size businesses that provide health care coverage aren’t hit with steep premium increases,” Daines stated. “This is a positive step towards lifting backbreaking Washington, D.C. regulations off of our small business and turning power back to the states where it belongs. I look forward to President Obama quickly signing this legislation in law.”
Daines is a cosponsor of Senate companion legislation, S. 1099 sponsored by Senator Tim Scott (R-SC).
The PACE Act is backed by a coalition representing small and mid-sized businesses, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Retail Federation, the National Restaurant Association, the National Federation of Independent Business, and has bipartisan support from state regulators and health policy experts.
The full text of this legislation is available here.
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