Small businesses urge Congress to invest in human infrastructure reform

Dear policymaker,

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated the failing infrastructure systems we have in this country, particularly when it comes to a lack of investment in the “care economy.” Small business owners and employees alike have struggled to afford healthcare during a public health crisis and to take care of their young and elderly family members. As small business owners and representatives of the small business community, we’ve seen firsthand that a lack of access to affordable child care, healthcare and paid leave is hampering our workforce participation and our recovery. 

Entrepreneurs and employees need access to benefits that will help us compete and ensure employees have the resources they need to fully participate in the workforce, as well as reforms to level the playing field for small businesses. This includes prioritizing key measures in Congress’s blueprint for human infrastructure reform. 

• Providing access to important benefits and resources: Small businesses and our employees need access to benefits and resources that will help keep us healthy and ensure we have the tools we need to compete for a talented workforce. This includes:
  • Expanding access to affordable healthcare: Access to affordable, quality healthcare is one of the biggest barriers for small businesses, self-employed entrepreneurs and small business employees. 
  • Investing in our child care: The lack of access to affordable childcare has become increasingly more difficult and a significant burden to working parents during the pandemic.
  • Establishing a national paid family medical leave: Small businesses often want to provide robust benefits like paid family leave to their employees but can’t afford to do so on their own, putting small businesses on an unequal playing field with larger businesses that have more resources to attract and retain a talented workforce.
• Leveling the playing field for small businesses through tax reform: Multiple tax reforms have been proposed to help offset the cost of this plan and ensure large, wealthy corporations pay their fair share. These reforms would ensure more tax fairness for small businesses that don’t benefit from corporate loopholes. 
  • Establish a 15% minimum tax on profits that the largest corporations report to their investors to prevent firms from using manipulated “taxable income” to pay little or nothing in taxes. 
  • Set a minimum tax rate of 21% on corporate offshore profits. 
  • Increase the top rate for the wealthiest individuals. Small Business Majority’s research shows that the proposal to increase the top rate for wealthy individuals (those with more than $628,300 per year in income) from 37% to 39.6% is supported by a strong majority of small businesses.

As business owners and representatives of the small business community, we urge you to act now to address these important needs to support America’s job creators. This will help ensure our businesses and our economy can rebuild stronger and more resilient.

Sign your name!