05-12-19

Bringing Opportunity for Rural Small Businesses 

 

This week was National Small Business week, where across the country we recognize the many contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners to our local, regional and global economies. I understand the critical importance of investing in local, small businesses and providing them with the best tools possible to succeed in whatever markets they serve. Running a small business isn’t easy, but small business owners are the primary economic engines across our nation accounting for half of our nations’ gross domestic product, more than half our jobs, and three-fourths of new jobs created each year. 

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is one of our most valuable federal agencies and provides assistance and funding for tens of thousands of businesses each year. Unfortunately, as is often the case, we’ve found that our rural small businesses are still being left behind. 

That is why this Small Business Week, I was proud to introduce legislation that would study why the previously authorized SBA office of Rural Affairs was dismantled years ago. My bill would require the SBA to submit a report to Congress answering key questions explaining why the office no longer exists and the potential benefits in creating a successor to the office, which could help grow and strengthen rural America’s small businesses, particularly in places like our Central Valley. Click here to read my press release on the bill.

Hill Highlights

Voted Yes on H.R. 986, the Protecting Americans with Pre-Existing Conditions Act

This week the House voted to pass the Protecting Americans with Pre-Existing Conditions Act, blocking the Trump Administration’s dangerous October 2018 guidance that gives states the ability to weaken the Affordable Care Act’s critical protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions.
 
The Administration’s guidance undermines the stability of the health care market and allows states to promote health insurance plans that directly discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions. Unlike ACA plans, these plans can eliminate coverage of pre-existing conditions, charge premiums based on health status, or reject patients altogether. In California alone, there are 16,679,100 patients living with pre-existing conditions that would be impacted by the Administration’s cruel policies.

Voted  Yes on H.R. 1503, the Orange Book Transparency Act of 2019 
Voted Yes on H.R. 1520, the Purple Book Continuity Act of 2019

My colleagues and I unanimously passed a pair of bills that aim to increase the accuracy and transparency of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Orange Book and Purple Book databases to ensure that more affordable medications are being brought to the market. The passage of these two bills is a first step in lowering the sky-rocketing cost of prescription drugs for Americans.

The Orange Book Transparency Act of 2019 would ensure the Orange Book is accurate and up-to-date by requiring manufacturers to share complete and timely information with the FDA, as well as ensure patents listed in the Orange Book are relevant to the approved drug product. 

The Purple Book Continuity Act of 2019 would codify publication of the patents of approved biological products in the Purple Book in a similar format and with similar requirements to the Orange Book. The Purple Book would be published electronically on FDA’s website, updated routinely, and would direct FDA to consider the types of patents that should be listed in the Purple Book.

Legislation Introduced This Week

Along with my small business legislation, H.R. 263, the Study of Office of Rural Affairs, within the Small Business Administration, we also introduced very important healthcare legislation. 

Better Respiration through Expanded Access to Tele-Health (BREATHE) Act - I was proud to introduce H.R. 2508, the BREATHE ACT. This bipartisan legislation will designate a three-year pilot program allowing qualified Respiratory Therapists to serve as telehealth practitioners to deliver disease management services to Medicare patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The three-year pilot program will allow Congress and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to evaluate the value of Respiratory Therapists as telehealth practitioners in reducing utilization and costs, while improving outcomes for patients with COPD. Click here to view the bill fact sheet. 
 

Constituent Highlights

While we were home in California over the weekend, my staff was honored to greet Jess Ahumada, Charlie Munson and other Valley veterans as they made it safely to Arlington National Cemetery (after a cross-country ride) as part of the Veteran Suicide Awareness Project. We must continue to invest in comprehensive programs to reduce the incidence of suicide among our veterans who have dedicated and sacrificed their lives for our nation. If you or a veteran you know is experiencing a crisis, you can call the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 for support. 

Congratulations to the Arvin High School Color Guard team! Ranked number one in California, the Bears recently won the Western Championships in Las Vegas and brought home the silver medal at the recent World Color Guard Championships in Ohio.

The team has proven that hard work, practice, and teamwork can bring success to any arena. I'm extremely proud to represent this group of future leaders in Congress! Go Bears! Click here to watch as I recognize the team on the House Floor.

 

Meetings & Events

 

Thank you to the Fresno Council of Governments for stopping by my office this week! It’s critical for me to hear from our community leaders to advocate and fight for the priorities of the Valley here in Congress.

 

Great meeting with Ralph Pierro from Allensworth! We discussed rural wastewater treatment issues facing Allensworth - the only town owned and founded by African Americans in California – and Ralph served as a panelist at a briefing I co-hosted on sanitation and wastewater challenges in rural communities. Thank you, Ralph for making the trip out to D.C., and serving as a voice for the people of Allensworth.

I was proud to support my brothers and sisters of the Machinists Union at their IAM Legislative Conference alongside my California colleague Rep. Brad Sherman (CA-30).

It was great spring weather this week, so I took the opportunity to have a working meeting with my good friend Mayor Rey Leon on the Speaker’s balcony overlooking the National Mall. Mayor Leon is a staunch advocate for those who don’t have a voice and the most vulnerable in our community. Through his non-profit Latino Environmental Advancement & Policy Project (LEAP), he started a program that shuttles retired farmworkers to doctor’s appointments in electric vehicles. Mayor Leon continues to push for Huron to become the greenest farmworker town, encouraging people to walk and ride bikes to get around and has pushed the city to plant new trees to help capture more carbon emissions. How cool is that?  

It’s always an honor to serve as Speaker Pro Tempore and represent the people of the Valley on the House Floor!  (Unfortunately, I did get admonished by the House Parliamentarian for recognizing a Congressman from Hawaii with “aloha”)

In honor of Small Business Week, I joined the Lemoore Chamber of Commerce in hosting a small business roundtable. We discussed available federal programs and opportunities that can enhance their success and grow their businesses.

 

TJ’s Recommended Reading

Frequently, I read articles or see videos that I think my constituents would enjoy

New York Times (5/9/19) - Trump is Terrible for Rural America 

As the vice-chairman of the rural poverty task force, this article captures what I see each and every day in Congress and back in the district – that this Administration’s policies are particularly and disproportionately harmful to our rural communities.

 

Fast Company (7/21/18) - How a small worker-owned trust could transform agricultural labor for decades 

As a businessman, I can tell you (and most other companies will agree) that our greatest assets are our people. Healthy, happy, motivated workers are the key to any organization’s success. The typical business is: owners, managers, employees but there are many other ways to organize workers and efforts to deliver benefits for all.

 

Staying Informed

You can find more press releases, commentary and information on issues I’m working on at cox.house.gov or by following me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. 

 

Please continue encouraging your family and friends to sign up for our weekly newsletter.

 

If you’re ever in DC, please call ahead so we can arrange tours for you and your family or group. The weather is beautiful right now and we’re seeing lots of visitors from home.  Please come by your office. During the spring and summer there are many indoor and outdoor events that you may be interested in attending. Let us know how we can help. If you have a larger group, give us a call and we’ll see if we can arrange a night-time Capitol tour. I look forward to seeing you soon.

 

In your service,
 
TJ Cox
Member of Congress