Conventions Conclude, Fall Campaign Begins: NFIB Looks for More Focus on Small Business...

Conventions Conclude, Fall Campaign Begins: NFIB Looks for More Focus on Small
Business Healthcare Concerns

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the general election
campaign begins in earnest today, the National Federation of Independent
Business (http://www.nfib.com) is looking to the two presidential candidates
for a greater focus on the healthcare concerns of small business. Now that the
Democratic and Republican conventions are over, NFIB is asking both candidates
to fully consider the significant obstacles faced by small businesses as they
further develop their healthcare plans.

"NFIB is pleased that Senator McCain and Senator Obama recognize that rising
healthcare costs are hurting America's job creators," said NFIB President and
CEO Todd Stottlemyer. "But over the next 60 days, we expect more details about
how the healthcare plans of both presidential candidates can help solve the
healthcare crisis that is strangling small businesses across the country.
These small employers are counting on the next president and administration to
address their unique healthcare challenges."

Of the 47 million uninsured Americans in 2006(1), 28 million were small
business owners, employees or their dependents(2). Rising healthcare costs, a
major impediment for millions of Americans seeking healthcare coverage, have a
disproportionate effect on small business. Small employers, who represent 99.7
percent of employers, pay an average of 18 percent more for insurance premiums
than larger firms.

Ruth Novodor, a small business owner and NFIB board member, spoke at the
Republican National Convention earlier this week and Janet Lynn Monacco spoke
during the Democratic National Convention last week. Both women reinforced the
important role of small business in our country's economy and the urgent need
to address rising healthcare costs. Their remarks should serve as a reminder
to both presidential candidates that small business men and women are a
significant voting bloc and their unique circumstances must be fully
considered in any proposed healthcare reform legislation.

"NFIB will continue to reach out to both presidential candidates through the
Solutions Start Here(SM) campaign. We will continue to invite them to meet
with us and offer insight from our members about how to design a healthcare
reform package that works for small business," said Stottlemyer. "As the voice
of this unique constituency, we will continue to push both presidential
candidates to offer more specifics on their healthcare proposals and urge them
to sign our Small Business Healthcare Petition
(http://www.fixedforamerica.com/petition/)signifying their commitment to
providing real and workable solutions to these men and women. Because when
healthcare is fixed for small business, it will be fixed for America."

Access to affordable healthcare is an issue that crosses the political aisle,
and 80 percent of small business owners agree that "it is important to me to
vote for a presidential candidate whose healthcare plan makes sense for small
business." This is why in late 2007, NFIB announced its Small Business
Principles for Healthcare Reform to articulate its commitment to creating
legislation that is, among other things, universal, private, affordable and
portable. These 10 guiding principles serve as the foundation for Solutions
Start Here(SM), NFIB's national campaign urging policymakers to deliver real
and meaningful healthcare reform for small business.

Solutions Start Here is a campaign developed and led by NFIB and its members
as the small business platform for healthcare reform. By working to engage and
educate policymakers about the unique healthcare issues faced by small
business, Solutions Start Here will drive and integrate the concerns and needs
of America's small business community into the national health reform debate.
Because when healthcare is fixed for small business, it's fixed for America.
For more information visit www.FixedForAmerica.com.

NFIB is the nation's leading small business association, with offices in
Washington, D.C. and all 50 state capitals. Founded in 1943 as a nonprofit,
nonpartisan organization, NFIB gives small and independent business owners a
voice in shaping the public policy issues that affect their business. NFIB's
powerful network of grassroots activists sends their views directly to state
and federal lawmakers through our unique member-only ballot, thus playing a
critical role in supporting America's free enterprise system. www.nfib.com

NFIB's mission is to promote and protect the right of our members to own,
operate and grow their businesses. More information about NFIB is available
online at www.NFIB.com/newsroom.

(1) www.census.gov (2006 data)
(2) www.ebri.org (2006 data)

SOURCE National Federation of Independent Business

Stephanie Cathcart of the National Federation of Independent Business,
+1-202-314-2056