The recent election, which gave President George W. Bush a
second term and increased Republican majorities in both houses of
Congress, came after a bitter campaign season. Now, some in
Washington are preaching a message of conciliation between the two
parties. But major divides remain.
Entrepreneur's "Point/Counterpoint" team,
Arizona Republican congressman Rick Renzi, who just won re-election
for the first time, and veteran New York Democratic congresswoman
Nydia Velázquez, return to Congress ready to battle for what
they believe in--and to reach across the aisle when they can help
small businesses. They spoke with Entrepreneur shortly after
the November election.
In your district, what were voters--and small
businesses'--major concerns? What will be done about them in
the next Congress?
Content Continues Below
Rep. Renzi:
National security [and] the big threats to small business: the cost
of energy and health care. Gas prices in Phoenix were some of the
highest in the nation last summer. It shows how vulnerable we are
to energy problems. We've got to allow U.S. energy reserves in
domestic lands to be unlocked. We can't box ourselves into
extreme environmental policies.
Rep.
Velázquez: Regulatory reform. This administration holds
the single-year record for the increase in the burden of paperwork
on small businesses.
Regarding health care, what do you think we're likely to
see in the upcoming Congress?
Velázquez: Bush
hasn't moved at all on association health plans, which could
help handle the health-care crisis.
Renzi: We need
transferable health-care coverage, sold online, where [individuals]
can buy it and own it, and it's portable. Health savings
accounts and association health plans are gap-fillers, not real
ways to reform the system.
What is the outlook for the SBA and its loan programs,
including the 7(a) program?
Renzi: I
support the president's proposed funding levels, and I will
also work with my colleagues in Congress to pass legislation that
would allow the SBA to guarantee more and larger loans.
There are other issues, too, that the SBA needs to focus on.
Combining multiple contracts into a single larger contract puts
small businesses at a disadvantage, reduces competition, and has
not been proven to reduce the cost to taxpayers.
Also, small businesses should be able to treat their company
vehicles like they do other pieces of business equipment. Small
businesses that need delivery trucks, vans or small vehicles should
not be disadvantaged because their vehicles weigh less than 6,000
pounds.
Velázquez: The president
has said how committed he is to small businesses, but when
we've proposed fully funding the SBA and increasing loan
programs, he stalled. And he's made it harder for small
businesses to get SBA loans, with more fees.
Do you expect Congress to be less partisan or more partisan
now? What is the responsibility of each party in terms of
partisanship?
Velázquez: President
Bush came to [Washington,] DC, four years ago claiming to be a
uniter, not a divider. But he's spent four years doing the
opposite, and now we have a drastically divided country. Now the
president says he wants to bring the country together. It's up
to him.
Renzi: I think
you'll see a bit of a grace period, but the nastiness will come
back before the next election. Right now, we have to get together
to tackle big issues, like health care and Social Security reform.
Now is the time. We've got a president with nothing to
lose.
Joshua Kurlantzick is a writer in Washington, DC.