Reforming the sugar program in the nation's farm bill would make U.S. manufacturers more competitive and reduce prices for consumers, said U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), co-sponsor of an amendment to revamp the system.
The amendment, S. 345, did not seek to eliminate the program. Instead, it aimed to reform restrictions on imports as well as subsidies for sugar growers, along with other changes. But the Senate rejected the amendment by a 45-54 vote
Wednesday.
“We’ve
been hearing a lot of talk about the need to protect America’s sugar
farmers, but what we haven’t heard is that sugar remains the most
tightly controlled commodity market in this country,” Shaheen said during floor discussion in the Senate Wednesday. “We
currently have an outdated ... program that offers a sweet deal to a small
group of sugar growers and processors at the expense of too many other
American businesses and at the expense of American consumers.”
Residents of the 8th congressional district are terrified that their
Social Security and Medicare benefits are going to be cut, U.S. Rep.
Tammy Duckworth (D, IL-8) said after an hourlong meet and greet with
constituents in Elgin this weekend.
“They’re barely making ends
meet,” Duckworth told Progress Illinois at her third Congress at Your
Corner event, held at the Gail Borden Library. “Whatever we do to
balance our nation’s budget, it cannot be on the backs of these people.” Read more »
America’s small business owners overwhelmingly oppose the use of
offshore tax havens by large corporations and support closing loopholes
to end the tax-dodging practice, a new poll from the American Sustainable Business Council and Main Street Alliance shows.
The
poll of 515 small business owners from across the country comes as
Congress attempts to address tax reform. Gov. Pat Quinn is also looking to close a few corporate tax loopholes at the local level.
“There’s
widespread agreement that the current tax system is broken and is not
serving the best interests of the economy or the country,” said Joshua
Welter, director of special projects for the Main Street Alliance.
“There is growing momentum to do something this year.”
Freshman lawmaker U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D, IL-10) met with constituents in Gurnee today in an effort to better understand the needs of small business owners in his district.
“If
I’m going to represent the district, I have to understand what makes up
the district” said Schneider, who has visited 17 small businesses since
taking office earlier this year.
The Illinois Business Immigration Coalition,
made up of various state businesses, political leaders and other
immigration rights advocates, announced Monday that it's looking to
recruit some 300 Illinois-based CEOs and small businesses to join its
push for bipartisan immigration reform.
Chicago’s export businesses may see a boost via a new partnership between the City of Chicago and the Export-Import Bank of the United States. Mayor Rahm Emanuel made the announcement yesterday, while also revealing plans for a new 1,200-room hotel near McCormick place to accommodate Chicago’s convention and trade show visitors.
The country’s largest small business lobbying group – the National Federation of Independent Businesses
– is one of the plaintiff’s looking to overturn the Affordable Care Act
before the U.S. Supreme Court, a decision likely to be announced within
the next week.
But a poll released today by a different small business lobbying group – Small Business Majority
– found that small business owners in eight states polled (both red and blue, including
Illinois) favor the landmark national health care reform and want the
Supreme Court to keep it intact. Read more »
Mike Nikodem and his wife Jo Anne own a bakery in Naperville and they said they paid more in taxes last year than some of Illinois’ largest corporations. The Nikodems recently joined the Illinois Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), a local watchdog organization, in pushing for tax reform legislation that would close corporate tax loopholes.
The group released a report that showed Illinois small business owners, like the Nikodems, would be on the hook for an additional $2,556 in taxes to make up for about $60 billion lost to foreign tax havens.
Reforming the sugar program in the nation's farm bill would make U.S. manufacturers more competitive and reduce prices for consumers, said U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), co-sponsor of an amendment to revamp the system.
Residents of the 8th congressional district are terrified that their
Social Security and Medicare benefits are going to be cut, U.S. Rep.
Tammy Duckworth (D, IL-8) said after an hourlong meet and greet with
constituents in Elgin this weekend.
America’s small business owners overwhelmingly oppose the use of
offshore tax havens by large corporations and support closing loopholes
to end the tax-dodging practice, a new 
Freshman lawmaker 
The country’s largest small business lobbying group – the 
Mike Nikodem and his wife Jo Anne own a bakery in Naperville and they said they paid more in taxes last year than some of Illinois’ largest corporations. The Nikodems recently joined the Illinois Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), a local watchdog organization, in pushing for tax reform legislation that would