Collins Calls for Small Business Bill of Rights

Press Release

Chris Collins, a small businessman running for Congress in the 27th Congressional District, today called for passage of a "Small Business Bill of Rights" to help small businesses recover from the onslaught of job crushing Obama-Hochul policies and jump-start job creation.

"Small businesses are the life blood of our economy. 70% of all jobs are created by hard working small business owners who are embracing the entrepreneurial spirit of America. We need to level the playing field to ensure they can compete free of mindless government regulations, job-killing mandates and foreign countries like China who manipulate the system to undermine American ingenuity," said Collins.

"Our founding fathers were farmers and merchants in search of freedom to pursue their happiness and livelihood. They believed in and fought for limited government and the power of the individual to chart their own course for success. But now, under the Obama-Hochul economy, government is out of control and dictating to small businesses how to operate. It is why our economy is broken. Government needs to get out of the way and let businesses do what's best for them," said Collins.

The plan consists of ten key policy initiatives that Collins, who has created or saved more than 500 jobs as a small business owner, will propose as a package to stimulate small business job creation. They include:

1. ​ Right to Lower Taxes
Small businesses have a right to lower taxes, so they can decide what to do with their profits, not Washington. We must cut the tax rate on small business to 25% while maintaining the 15% tax on capital gains to encourage investment and allow small businesses to reinvest more of their profits and help create jobs.

2.​ Freedom from Death Tax
Family businesses and farms should have a right to pass on their property and estates to their family without fear of it being taxed away. Congress must eliminate the death tax on family farms and small businesses to allow them to pass their farms and businesses to their families without penalty.

3.​ Right to A Simplified Tax Code
Small businesses have a right to an easy-to-understand tax code. We need to simplify and streamline the tax code so that small businesses can make sense of it and easily understand their tax obligations.

4.​ Right to a Fair Playing Field with China
China needs to play by the rules. Under this plan, Congress will pass regulations that require China to play by the rules and end currency manipulation to unfairly penalize American-made products. China must float its currency and open its markets to American products, or risk serious consequences for the unfair trade practices that hurt American small businesses.

5.​ Right to Intellectual Property Protection
Small businesses develop and produce new ideas and technologies everyday, and they deserve to be protected from oversees companies who steal those ideas. We must protect American small business ingenuity and hold countries that don't respect American IP rules accountable for their actions.

6.​ Freedom from Government Intrusion
Washington passes too many regulations that strangle small businesses. We must limit and reduce the number of regulations on small businesses. Under the Collins plan, all new federal regulations would be subject to a sunset provision. In order for the regulation to be renewed, it must then pass a cost-benefit analysis and prove that it is not unduly burdensome to businesses.

7.​ Right to a Balanced Budget that Limits Spending
American small businesses will only begin reinvesting in their companies when they have confidence the federal government has its spending under control. This plan will require the federal budget to be balanced in ten years, so that small businesses have the stability and security they need to invest in their companies and create jobs.

8. ​ Right to be Free of Frivolous Lawsuits
Excessive and frivolous litigation costs small businesses incredible amounts of time and money. Congress must get serious about tort reform, to reduce the number of baseless lawsuits and protect small businesses owners from frivolous actions to allow them to focus on growing their companies, not avoiding litigation.

9.​ Right to Secret Ballots for Union Elections
Small business employees have a right to cast their ballots in private when it comes to deciding whether or not to unionize. Chris Collins will fight against card check, to protect small businesses and their employees against political intimidation in union elections.

10.​ Freedom From ObamaCare
The massive government healthcare plan passed under the Democrats is killing small businesses with more regulations and more taxes. We must repeal ObamaCare, and replace it with common-sense policies, like patient choice and allowing insurance to be purchased across state lines to increase competition and lower the cost to small businesses.

""Obama-Hochul policies, like government run healthcare, are failing to protect small businesses and are crippling the American economy. My partners and employees share with me everyday the stories of how Washington is sabotaging job creation. Small businesses deserve better from their elected leaders. They deserve our support, not more job crushing obstacles disguised as progressive reforms. This plan shows our job creators that finally, their government is getting out of the way and letting them do what they do best -- innovate and grow," said Collins.

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