U.S. Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper, of Erie, D-3rd Dist., today delivered a one-minute statement on the House floor calling for health-care reform to bring relief to small businesses.

The statement included a story about a local Erie business, which was not named.

Provided by Dahlkemper’s office, here is the text of her statement:

“Today, I heard from one of my constituents who owns a small business, a printing company in northwest Pennsylvania. This small business owner received notification that health care premiums for his business are increasing by 51.1% this year. That dwarfs the 14% increase of last year, and 20% increase from the previous year.

“Any one who has ever worked in a small business knows that these costs are unsustainable. This small-business owner told me that his business’ new family rate will be in excess of $1,700 per month.

“He wrote, ‘I don’t know what can be done, but it is small businesses like mine that cannot afford these increases.’

“(Madam) Speaker, we must not allow our small businesses to suffer so unnecessarily when something can be done.

“There is a clear and urgent need to pass health-care reform legislation, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to embrace reform that will help small businesses.”

– John Guerriero