Lending to Small Businesses, Hispanic Heritage Month and Patient's Bill of Rights

Statement

Dear Friend,

Thank you for reading another edition of my e-newsletter, the Carson Courier. For additional information on these and other topics, please visit my website at http://www.carson.house.gov.

In this week's Carson Courier:
Increasing Lending to Small Businesses
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
Patient's Bill of Rights Goes Into Effect This Week

Increasing Lending to Small Businesses
In the wake of the financial crisis, small businesses continue to suffer from a lack of access to capital. Without access to financing used to cover everything from salaries to rent and inventory, many businesses have been forced to lay off employees or close their doors entirely.
This week, after languishing in the Senate for months, I was pleased to vote for the Small Business Jobs Act which will increase lending to small businesses across the United States. This important piece of jobs-creating legislation also includes amendments I authored aimed at expanding opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses. My amendments ensure participating banks include women- and minority-owned businesses in their outreach and advertising.
Small businesses are the greatest job creators, and I am confident that increasing lending to small businesses is one of the best ways to move our economy forward. I look forward to watching this bill take effect in Indiana-creating and preserving jobs and moving the 7th District towards a more stable economic future.

To read more about the Small Business Lending Fund Act, click here.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, I am so pleased to honor the contributions of Hispanic men and women in the 7th District and across the United States. As the fastest growing ethnic group in our country, the 48.4 million-strong Hispanic community is an important part of our nation not only culturally but economically as well. Hispanic Americans have played a vital role in the development of our great nation, and they continue to enrich our society with their contribution to business, education, government and the arts. During Hispanic Heritage Month, I encourage all Hoosiers to remember and recognize the Hispanic community and pay tribute to the extraordinary contributions that they make to America every day.

For more information on Hispanic Heritage month, please click here.

Patient's Bill of Rights Goes Into Effect This Week
One of the main goals in reforming the health care system was to put American consumers back in charge of their medical care. For too long, insurance companies have left patients without coverage when they needed it most and driven up the total cost of health care. That's why I was proud to cosponsor the Affordable Care Act last March. This week a number of crucial reforms to our health care system take effect as a result of this legislation, including:
No More Pre-existing Conditions: Insurance companies will no longer be allowed to impose pre-existing condition exclusions on children or set annual and lifetime limits on coverage.
Protecting Coverage: Insurers are now prohibited from rescinding coverage when a person gets sick, except in cases of fraud or an intentional misrepresentation of facts.
Covering Children Longer: Young people will now be allowed to remain on their parents' insurance plan up until their 26th birthday.

Local Hoosiers will see the impact of these changes immediately, allowing them to better plan for their health care needs and that of their families. These are just the first in a long line of common sense changes that will soon transform our outdated health care system into one that provides more affordable coverage and more accessible care.

To learn more about the Patient's Bill of Rights, click here.

Thank you for reading the Carson Courier. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts and concerns. For more information, please visit my website at http://www.carson.house.gov and my new Congressional Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/CongressmanAndreCarson. I value your views and your input which help me to better represent the people of Indiana's 7th District in Congress.

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