uschamber.com Magazine January 2004

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• Saving Money With Health Savings Accounts
  A key part of the Medicare bill endorsed by the U.S. Chamber and signed by the president is the creation of health savings accounts (HSAs) that allow employers to lower their health care costs by as much as 25%.
• Bush Signs Medicare Reform
  After passing the House and Senate, President Bush signed into law the Medicare reform bill. The law will create health savings accounts and a prescription drug benefit for seniors while helping employers continue providing voluntary health coverage...
• Easy Access to Credit Maintained
  Renewal of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is now law, guaranteeing millions of small business owners quick, easy, and affordable access to credit.
• Congress Approves Spam Reform
  On the heels of a vigorous campaign by the Chamber, the House and Senate approved the Reduction in Distribution Spam Act of 2003 (RDSA) before adjourning for the Thanksgiving holiday.
• Energy Bill Falls Short in Senate
  Despite a setback in the Senate, the U.S. Chamber vows to stay the path and to continue the fight for a comprehensive energy strategy that would move the country toward energy independence, enhance domestic security, grow the economy, and create new jobs.
• Renewing Tax Credits
  The U.S. Chamber is urging Congress to extend several expiring tax provisions that are critical to small businesses and to the nation's economic recovery. The tax incentives encourage business owners to invest in research and experimentation and provide...
• Chamber's Small Business Council Meets, Examines State of Small Business
  The U.S. Chamber's Small Business Council convened its third annual meeting in Washington, D.C., for a lively, two-day event in early November. Chamber staff briefed committee members on the state of small business, the economy, legislative priorities...
• Caring for the Elderly
  As our society continues to "gray," employers face a new dilemma: meeting the needs of employees responsible for caring for parents, older relatives, or a spouse.
• Rumsfeld Salutes Business: Employers Thanked for Support of Troops
  In an open letter to the business community, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld thanked employers for their strong support of the National Guard and Reserves called up to serve in Iraq.
• Tech Tools: Buying the Right Computer: . . . Without Breaking the Bank
  Whether you’re purchasing a computer for your business or home, here are some tips to make the process easier and to ensure that you get the best product at the lowest price.
• 2004: Taking Care of Business; Chamber Pushes Legal Reform, Health Care
  On the heels of last year's congressional calendar victories on unsolicited junk e-mail, credit rules, Medicare reform, and government paperwork, the Chamber is gearing up to take care of unfinished business when Congress returns this month.
• ECON 101: The Chamber's 2004 Small Business Agenda
  A robust and vibrant small business community is vital to our nation's continued recovery as well as to our long-term prosperity, and the Chamber is committed to ensuring the competitiveness and vitality of its small businesses.
• Face Off: Should We Privatize the Federal Workforce?
  Should We Privatize the Federal Workforce? Powerful Senators Square Off
• Small Bsiness Matters: Financing Your Business Part II—The Business Plan
  Going to the bank to borrow money without a comprehensive business plan is like trying to fly a plane without fuel.
• Success Insight: Rocketing to Success
  Carolyn Minerich felt like she had won the lottery when NASA Marshall Space Flight Center approached her small waterjet cutting company with an offer to manufacture components for the Next Generation Space Shuttle Program.
• Aliya Wong: Planning for the Future -- January 2004
  As director of pension policy, Aliya Wong focuses on ensuring that pension legislation addresses the specific needs of small business owners.
• Working For You: Aliya Wong
  As director of pension policy, Aliya Wong focuses on ensuring that pension legislation addresses the specific needs of small business owners.