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February 12-19, 2007
Latest Congressional Action
- By a 360 to 45 vote, the House on Friday approved a $1.3 billion small business tax breaks package strongly backed by the Chamber. The measure would extend for one year through 2010 Section 179 small business annual expensing. The bill raises the ceiling to $125,000 starting in 2007 and then indexes that figure for inflation in future years. The measure also extends for one year through 2008 the Work Opportunity Tax Credit for employers who hire welfare and food stamp recipients and other low-income workers. House passage of this bill will facilitate a House-Senate conference to resolve legislation to raise the federal minimum wage. The Chamber opposes a minimum wage hike.
- By an 81 to 15 vote, the Senate passed the $463.5 billion FY-2007 Continuing Resolution that funds most government agencies through Sept. 30. This bill, which combines nine regular appropriations bills, is set to be signed by President Bush.
- Vice President Cheney said that President Bush will veto HR-800, the bill strongly backed by labor unions that would make it easier for unions to organize businesses by taking away from owners the right to demand a secret ballot vote by their workers on whether to form a union. The so-called "card check" legislation was approved by the House Education and Labor Committee by a 26 to 19 vote. The Chamber and a broad business coalition are working hard to build opposition to this legislation.
Source:
U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Southeast Regional Office. Moore Hallmark, Regional
Executive Director.
501 Village Trace, Suite 201, Bldg. 9A Atlanta, GA 30067
P: (770) 951-8864 F: (770) 956-1216
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