Lisa Kaiser Hickey Attends NAWBO Public Policy Days in Washington, DC
Published: April, 25, 2007
By Nicole Lewandowski
Douglass Screen Printers, Inc.

Douglass Screen Printers President and CEO, and the National Association of Women Business Owners’ President-Elect, Lisa Kaiser Hickey, recently attended the National Association of Women Business Owners’ (NAWBO) National Public Policy Days in Washington DC. National Public Policy Days is a three-day event where roughly 300 women business owners from around the nation attend to share key issues with their legislators and participate in a forum in which they can address Congress with their challenges. The event provides women business owners extensive training on advocacy, lobbying, legislation, and how to seek office.

Three dominant issues that proved to be significant this year were: affordable health insurance coverage, procurement and contract bundling, and fair and equitable small business tax treatment.

NAWBO supports legislation that will make health insurance more affordable for women business owners and their employees. Currently, smaller businesses are paying a higher premium per employee than larger businesses. NAWBO will consider and support other federal legislation, as appropriate, that will reduce premiums and create tax incentives for more affordable health insurance for small business owners.

NAWBO supports achievement of the 5% Federal procurement goal for women-owned small businesses and government-wide implementation of the “restricted competition” or set aside program for women owned small businesses authorized by Congress in 2000. Only 2.89% of the 5% goal is being met

NAWBO supports fair and equitable tax policy for large and small businesses that supports and encourages the economic growth of women-owned and other small businesses. Legislation should be enacted to ensure tax equity and basic fairness for all forms of small business organizations. This includes tax deduction for 100% of meals and entertainment expenses for small businesses, and a greater standard home office deduction to deduct the costs of office, storage, studio, and retail space in small business owners’ homes, regardless of whether customers actually visit or revenue is produced there.