Archery Business: Jul/Aug 2010
14 archeryBUSINESS July/August 2010 Congressman Paul Ryan, R-Wiscon-sin, has been a longtime ally of the archery and bowhunting industry. He's a lifelong bowhunter and regularly works with the Archery Trade Association (ATA) on a wide variety of issues. Recently, Congressman Ryan committed to spend an evening with the ATA Board of Direc- tors on June 23, where he will expand on a number of items affecting the industry. He is currently serving his sixth two-year term as Wisconsin's 1st Congressional Dis-trict representative and will seek re-election in November. The ranking member of the House Budget Committee, Congressman Ryan works to bring \037scal discipline and accountability to the federal government. He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdic-tion over healthcare, Social Security, fed- eral tax policy and trade laws. "Paul is one of the great economic think-ers and legislators in Washington," said Jay McAninch, ATA CEO/President. "He's not only an expert on the healthcare law and its impact on small businesses, but he's also mapped out a much broader strategy to address the \037nancial issues facing our country." Congressman Ryan shares his thoughts and ideas on these larger issues through "A Roadmap For America's Future," which can be found on his website, www.house. gov/ryan/PCA/. To help ATA members learn more about the nation's recently enacted healthcare law, McAninch asked Congressman Ryan to discuss why he opposes the new pro-gram. Congressman Ryan and other Re-publicans are working to repeal the plan, which was signed into law March 23 by President Barack Obama. Congressman Ryan believes "The Patients' Choice Act of 2009"which he introduced a year ago with Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma would promote universal access to quality, affordable healthcare without adding bil-lions of dollars in new debt or taxes. What follows is Congressman Ryan's interview with the ATA on May 11 as he made the rounds in his home district in southeastern Wisconsin.ATA: Just to get us started, is there anything in this healthcare law that you like?CONGRESSMAN R Y AN: Oh, this is going to be a very fast interview. No, nothing comes to mind. [Laughter] Look, seriously, there are long-term ob-jectives in this package I agree with, but I completely disagree with the means of achieving those objectives. This law tries to achieve the objective of getting insurance for everybody, but through a government-run system. That's what I completely op-pose. I offered legislation a year ago with Tom Colburn in the Senatemy main counterpartand other members of Con-gress, which achieves universal access to affordable health insurance for everybody. Our plan includes people with pre-existing conditions, but it's a patient-centered sys-tem, not a government-run system. And so at the core, I really have a big problem with the architecture of this sys-tem that's now law. ATA: Since the healthcare bill became law March 23, what are the concerns you're hearing most from small businesses?CONGRESSMAN R Y AN: I spent the day yesterday (May 10) traveling around my district doing factory tours, meeting with business leaders, and speaking to Rotarians and other constituents. The biggest ques-tion I keep hearing everywhere is this: Can this thing be repealed; and if so, how and when? Literally, that's the No. 1, most fre- quently asked question I'm hearing. No. 2, businesses want to know how does this law affect me and my business? Obviously, its impact depends on the size of your business, but this is where I try to give everyone a clear picture of what's ahead. The law takes four years to phase in be-tween now and 2014. The next three years will be de\037ned by increases in healthcare premiums, and tax increases that affect small businesses; things like pass-through (taxation) affecting Subchapter S corpora-tions and limited liability partnerships. We'll also see Medicare cuts, which will shrink the provider network for Medicare and cause premium increases for the non-Medicare population. Year 4 is when the subsidies kick in and the biggest mandates start. We are now go- ATA Update P AT DURKIN, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR TO JOIN THE ATA: Contact the ATA of\037ce: 860 E. 4500 S. #310, Salt Lake City, UT 84107; toll-free: (866) 266-2776 or direct: (801) 261-2380; fax: (801) 261-2389 and e-mail: info@archerytrade.org. www.archery.trade.org AIMING FOR INDUSTRY GROWTHHEAL THCARE LA W & THE ARCHERY INDUSTRY:A Revealing Q&A W ith U.S. Congressman Paul RyanCongressman P aul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, has been a longtime ally of the archery and bowhunting industry. In this Q&A he explains why the nation's new healthcare legislation is not good for America and its small businesses. 014-015_AB10JULata_update.indd 14 6/8/10 10:09:34 AM
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