Nelson's Small Business Health Plan Ad Misleading

Nelson's Small Business Health Plan Ad Misleading

Ben Nelson has been running television ads touting his Small Business Health Plan to help Nebraska's small businesses provide affordable health insurance to their employees. However, Nelson's ads leave out crucial information. Senator Enzi was the principal author of this legislation, and during discussion of it on the Senate floor yesterday, Assistant Democrat Leader Dick Durbin praised Enzi's work without even mentioning Senator Nelson.

"I am surprised that Ben Nelson is running commercials on the Small Business Health Plan legislation that failed in the Senate earlier this year. Senator Mike Enzi of Wyoming actually wrote the bill Nelson is running on (S. 1955), and asked Nelson to help him round up Democrat support. Nelson failed to persuade more than a single Democrat to vote for the bill, and also failed to persuade his Senate Democrat Leaders to allow the bill to pass on a simple majority. Instead, the Senate Democrat Leaders required a 60-vote, filibuster proof majority to pass the bill," said Ricketts.

"This bill failed in the Senate by a vote of 55-43, despite having a clear majority support it. It failed because Nelson was neither able to gain enough Democrat support for this bill. Because of Nelson's failure of leadership, Nebraska businesses were denied a crucial tool to purchase affordable health insurance for their employees, leaving thousands of Nebraskans without coverage. Apparently, Nelson's alleged ability to forge bi-partisan consensus does not include the ability to work well within his own party," Ricketts continued.

"I'm not surprised Nelson has to run ads showcasing someone else's bill - when discussing it on the Senate floor yesterday, Senate Democrat Whip Richard Durbin praised Enzi's work on this bill without even mentioning Ben Nelson. This is because Nelson is not the effective bridge builder he claims to be. Not a single bill he has introduced during his Senate career has become law. By comparison, Senator Hagel had four bills signed into law during his first turn, two of which became law during his time in the Minority. Additionally, Hillary Clinton, who was elected at the same time as Ben Nelson has had 13 bills enacted into law during her Senate career.

"Simply put, Ben Nelson is ineffective and unable to even work within his own party on issues of critical importance. This ineffectiveness is just one more reason he does not deserve re-election.

http://www.petericketts.com/full_press.asp?press_id=86