The Honorable Michael GrimmUnited States House ofRepresentatives512 Cannon House Office BuildingWashington, DC 20515
Dear Congressman Grimm:
On behalf ofthe 362,000 members of the National Taxpayers Union (NTU), I write in supportof H.R. 2092 which would repeal the regressive tax on indoor tanning salonscontained in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).
NTU has longargued that America’s health care system is ripe for reform. Ever-rising costshave made it difficult for many to afford insurance, our employer-centricsystem of coverage has undermined the cost conscious patient-providerrelationship, and a complicated web of regulations prevent market forces fromoperating effectively. Rather than address these issues, PPACA raised taxes andpushed a greater portion of our health care system into a federal governmentbureaucracy.
One of thetaxes included in the health care bill, in an attempt to offset its $940billion pricetag, was a 10 percent tax on tanning services. The history of thetax’s development reveals it to be little more than a thinly veiled attempt to squeezea politically convenient target for additional revenues. Following the removalof the tax on cosmetic procedures, PPACA’s authors began searching for a newscapegoat. The result was a discriminatory tax hike on indoor tanning salons, mostof which are independent small businesses that lack resources or influence inWashington.
This blatantrevenue grab could punish 18,000 small businesses across the country, jeopardizingthousands of jobs. Furthermore, it is a clear violation of President Obama’s“firm pledge” not to raise “any form” of taxes on families with incomes lessthan $250,000. Even more worrisome, thetanning tax highlights the government’s increasingly brazen attempts tocoercively modify our lifestyles through misguided tax and regulatory policies.
Rather than beingforced to endure a scheme that singles out small businesses for burdensomeregulations and expensive taxes, America deserves a health care reform packagethat actually delivers on a promise to lower costs while maintaining quality. Yourbill represents a positive step towards the goal of defunding, repealing, andreplacing PPACA with an alternative focused on improving choices and reducingthe financial burden on taxpayers. For that reason, NTU supports H.R. 2092 andany roll call votes on this legislation will be significantly weighted in ourannual Rating of Congress.
Sincerely,BrandonGreifeFederalGovernment Affairs Manager