ASA Calls on Repairers to Contact U.S. Senators
for Support of AHP Legislation
Washington, D.C., April 8, 2004 — The Automotive Service Association (ASA) supports Association Healthcare Plans (AHP) legislation that allows associations to band together to purchase health care insurance for employees.
The AHP legislation, H.R. 660, has passed the U.S. House of Representatives and is supported by President George W. Bush, but the U.S. Senate has not acted on its legislation,
S. 545.
The AHP Coalition, which is made up of small business associations, including ASA, has launched a grassroots campaign asking the Senate to act on AHP legislation.
With the Senate calendar winding down for the year and a target adjournment date of Oct. 1, ASA encourages repairers to contact their senators and ask them to support and co-sponsor S. 545. ASA will continue to publish information about its efforts and how repairers can assist in passing this legislation on ASA's legislative Web site, www.TakingTheHill.com. For convenience, sample letters of support for S. 545 are provided on the Web site.
Bob Redding, ASA's Washington, D.C., representative, said, "We have a narrow opportunity to see AHP legislation enacted this year. The Senate must hear from the small business community if this bill has a chance to become law. Independent repairers should act quickly."
The Automotive Service Association is the largest not-for-profit trade association of its kind, serving more than 12,000 businesses and approximately 70,000 professionals from all segments of the automotive service industry. ASA's headquarters is in Bedford, Texas.
ASA advances professionalism and excellence in the automotive repair industry through education, representation and member services. Additional information about ASA, including past news releases, is available on the ASA Web Site on the Internet (http://www.asashop.org).
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