Exclusive Business Roundtable answered some pressing questions small-business owners had about Congress
“The PRO Act is un-American.”
So spoke U.S. Rep. Young Kim on an exclusive Business Roundtable call with NFIB California members, describing one of the most harmful proposals Congress has ever considered passing. “The PRO Act would make millions of independent contractors illegal and embolden labor union bosses by turning independent contracting into union jobs.”
Congresswoman Kim led off the 37-minute discussion with an update on Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. “The next phase is where we are right now, PPP forgiveness process. We want to make sure we have the control mechanism in place to ensure we are protecting taxpayers from fraud and abuse.”
One of the many benefits of NFIB membership is the opportunities it presents to hear directly from and talk directly to the top policymakers and agency officials making the decisions affecting its members’ ability to own, operate, and grow their enterprises.
NFIB members were not shy about making their views known on the September 15 call with Congresswoman Kim, a fellow small-business owner and influential member of the U.S. House Committee on Small Business.
Questions and informative remarks included the topics of:
- Supply-chain disruptions
- Labor shortages
- Housing permitting
- Unemployment benefits
- And, the eternal problem of getting Congress to use the right language and look at things the right way—as they really are.
Sunder Ramani, who owns a post-production studio in Burbank and is chairman of the NFIB California Leadership Council, brought up a personal pique of his in federal officials’ use of the word ‘revenue.’ “Please stop having them use the vernacular ‘revenue,’” he asked the Congresswoman to tell IRS and congressional officials. “We understand revenue, we earn it, we work hard for it, and they tax it … They lose taxes but not revenue. We make revenue, and we give it to you in taxes.”
A proper understanding of commonly used terms also was an issue with member Beth Booth, who owns a design and sales company with her husband in San Diego. “If we could remove the idea that you’re raising tax on big corporations, that’s not accurate. You’re raising them on every corporation, which is me, a husband and wife, a father and son, a mom and pop … That marketing ploy is gross … Let’s change the language so that people can understand. There is not a tax differential for a big corporation and a tiny one.”
Congress is considering raising the corporate tax to 28% from 21%. NFIB has set up this special webpage, Small Business Survival, outlining the other harmful initiatives Congress is considering.
“Our small businesses face additional headwinds in the form of persistent inflation, supply disruptions, and the threat of more lockdowns and higher taxes,” added Congresswoman Kim. But she remains sanguine.
“I feel I owe it to this country for all the opportunities it provided to me … I came here [Congress] to work across the aisle. I’ve learned through my days in the State Assembly, through my days working on a Congressional staff how important it is to get those Rs and Ds out of the way once we are elected.”
John Kabateck, NFIB’s California state director, called the Business Roundtable with Congresswoman Kim one of his favorites. “We succeeded in our main goal of giving our members a chance to voice their opinions directly to an elected official and had a guest who was sincerely interested in those opinions. Congresswoman Kim’s personal life story was also an inspiration to hear.”
Click the arrow below to see the Business Roundtable event.
