Retailers Association of Massachusetts President Jon Hurst Testified Before

U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce on Wednesday, March 1, 2017

In Support of Legislation to Allow Small Businesses to Join Together Through Association Health Plans to Provide Greater Access to Affordable Care for Employees

Jon B. Hurst, President of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts (RAM), testified before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce during a hearing focused on legislative proposals to improve health care coverage and provide lower costs for families.

Mr. Hurst represented RAM’s 4,000 member companies, comprised of “mom and pop”-owned stores as well as large national chains in the retail, restaurant and service sectors which together support over 928,000 jobs and operate in more than 73,000 bricks-and-mortar establishments across the Commonwealth. Hurst also represented the National Retail Federation, of which RAM is a member.

 “The retail industry in Massachusetts is the backbone of our local Main Streets, putting thousands of people to work, creating vibrant storefronts and contributing to thriving downtowns. And retail workers deserve affordable health care coverage for themselves and their families without bankrupting their employers,” said Hurst. “We believe group health coverage, which is the key to coverage for more than 170 million Americans, should be available for smaller companies to help them manage these costs and continue to operate successfully across Massachusetts.”

Click here to watch hearing.

Click here for Congressional House Committee on Education and Workforce Release with quote from Jon Hurst.

Click here for press release, with links to bill, testimony and committee/hearing information.