mr. speaker , i support the rule , and i support h.r. 525 . 
the number one problem facing small businesses today is the skyrocketing cost of health insurance . 
association health plans are a big part of the solution . 
i met with many small business people in my hometown of orlando , florida , and they told me they need association health plans . 
i agree with them , and here is why : of the 45 million americans without health insurance , 60 percent are small business employees and their families . 
they do not have health insurance because their small business employers can not afford it . 
if we would allow these small businesses to join together , they could have the same bargaining power as large fortune 500 corporations , which could lower their health insurance premiums by up to 30 percent . 
association health plans will increase access to health care for millions of americans now without insurance . 
it certainly is an issue that is personal to me . 
i had the happy privilege of flying down to orlando , florida , with president bush on air force one on march 18 of this year . 
he asked me what , if anything , he could do to help small businesses in my area . 
i told him what the small businesses told me : the number one thing they want is association health plans , and he pledged to support it and use his bully pulpit to help it get through the senate . 
i also authored a small business bill of rights that passed this house back in april . 
it called for the passage of association health plans , fixing the death tax , and cracking down on frivolous lawsuits . 
this house is on record as supporting that . 
it is time for us to take the lead today and help small business people provide health insurance to their employees . 
vote `` yes '' on the rule and vote `` yes '' on h.r. 525 . 
i urge my colleagues to do these things . 
