109th Congress
Senate Action—May 11, 2006
In the Senate's first floor action on Small-Business Health Plans, the Senate held a key vote on S. 1955, "The Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act of 2006." The legislation garnered a 55-vote majority but not the 60 votes necessary to proceed under Senate rules.

Senate Committee Passage—March 15, 2006
The Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee voted 11-9 to send S. 1955 to the floor, and a vote is expected in May.

Senate Markup—March 8, 2006 and March 15, 2006
U. S. Senate Action on Small-Business Health Plans
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee began consideration Wednesday, March 8 of a health-care bill that would allow Small-Business Health Plans, but postponed a vote until next week.

HELP Committee Chairman Sen. Mike Enzi of Wyoming introduced S. 1955, "The Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act of 2005," which would allow for more uniform federal regulation while still providing strong consumer protections.

SBHPs under this bill would be able to provide lower-cost options through a health plan that operates across state lines, eases the burdensome structure of costly benefit mandates at the state level and changes the environment in which insurers operate, thus creating a more competitive marketplace.

The committee, which rejected several amendments to the bill that would have added mandates, will resume the discussion beginning at 9 a.m. March 15, and a vote is expected by mid-day. 

House Passage—July 26, 2005
The House of Representatives passed H.R. 525 263-165, a strong bipartisan vote for affordable health-care for small businesses and working families. This vote marks the eighth time that the House has passed SBHPs, though the bill has yet to gain Senate approval.

Senate Hearing—April 21, 2005
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee held a hearing on SBHP legislation April 21.

House Markup—March 16, 2005
The Education and Workforce Committee marked up H.R. 525 and ordered the legislation to be reported to the full House in March.

Senate Introduction—Feb. 17, 2005
The Senate version of the Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2005, S. 406, was introduced Feb. 17, 2005. Sponsors are Sens. Christopher Bond (R-Mo.), Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Jim Talent (R-Mo.), with Sens. Robert Byrd (D-W.V.), Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Mel Martinez (R-Fla.), John McCain (R-Ariz.) and David Vitter (R-La.), all joining as original cosponsors.

House Introduction—Feb. 2, 2005
The Small Business Health Fairness Act, H.R. 525, was introduced in the House on Feb. 2, 2005, by Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Texas), and Reps. John Boehner (R-Ohio), Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.) and Albert Wynn (D-Md.), among others. The measure would create Small-Business Health Plans, which would allow small businesses to band together and purchase quality health care at a lower cost for their workers.