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BY ROBERT FREEDMAN

Bush: pass AHPs
NAR commended President George W. Bush for backing association health plans in his 2005 State of the Union address Feb. 2. AHPs, an NAR legislative priority, would allow small businesses and self-employed workers to band together to negotiate lower health insurance costs.
“Most REALTORS® are small-business people or independent contractors who struggle to find quality, affordable health care for their employees and families,” says NAR President Al Mansell. “Association health plans will allow small businesses to compete with large employers for workers who need good health care coverage for their families, and they’ll put self-employed workers on equal footing with corporate employees and union members when it comes to health insurance.”
Legislation creating the plans was intro- duced in the House in early February. The same legislation passed the House last year with bipartisan support.

NAR endorses VA nominee
The REALTOR® organization is backing Denver-area real estate developer Jim Nicholson to be secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Nicholson was nominated by President Bush in mid-December to replace outgoing head Anthony Principi.
“[Nicholson’s] experience in real estate will serve him well as the overseer of the VA Home Loan Guaranty Program, an important program to our membership,” says NAR President Al Mansell. Confirmation could be completed this spring.

Bank bill is back
“REALTORS® across America applaud the reintroduction of the Community Choice in Real Estate Act (S. 98) and the sponsors’ commitment to passing the bill this Congress,” NAR President Al Mansell said in a January statement.
The bill, which was reintroduced in the House and Senate in January, attracted the backing of 28 Senators and 255 House members in the last Congress. NAR expects the list of cosponsors to grow to a majority of lawmakers in this Congress, say NAR analysts.