The National Retail Federation today asked lawmakers to reject health
care reform legislation expected to receive a vote in the House this
weekend, saying the measure would drive up labor costs to the point of
forcing job losses and that a “transparent procedural ploy” for passing
the package would harm Congress’ reputation. NRF said action on a House
“rule,” the underlying legislation and related procedural motions will
all be counted as key votes in NRF’s annual ranking of lawmakers on
issues important to the retail industry.
“‘Deeming’
legislation of this magnitude passed without a direct vote will further
tarnish Congress’ reputation and will likely draw future legal
challenge. We will count the vote on the rule to consider H.R. 4872 as a
key vote on H.R. 3590 despite the transparent procedural ploy.”
“NRF has worked tirelessly to promote effective health care reforms that
would lower the cost of medical care and expand access to coverage,” NRF
Senior Vice President for Government Relations Steve Pfister said. “We
are disappointed by the direction of the congressional debate,
particularly its punitive focus against employers. It is an economic
certainty that if labor costs significantly increase, retailers – who
operate on razor-thin profit margins – will have no choice but to reduce
the size of their workforces. This is an outright tax on jobs, a
dangerous strategy when our economy so clearly needs to grow through job
creation. Health care reform in its current form will become the biggest
anti-stimulus legislation imaginable.”
“We are also troubled by the extraordinary procedure by which this
legislation is proposed to be considered,” Pfister said. “ ‘Deeming’
legislation of this magnitude passed without a direct vote will further
tarnish Congress’ reputation and will likely draw future legal
challenge. We will count the vote on the rule to consider H.R. 4872 as a
key vote on H.R. 3590 despite the transparent procedural ploy.”
Pfister’s comments came in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi,
D-Calif., and Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, and all members of
the House.