By now, most people are familiar with the various ‘favors’ that Harry Reid built into his managers amendment ‘compromise agreement’.  Nebraska, Vermont, Massachusetts, Louisiana, Florida and other states all got sweetheart deals in exchange for votes.

Now it would seem that a Senator, probably with ties to large construction companies or construction worker’s unions, had Reid add a last minute amendment that will hit small construction companies hard:

The Senate bill has a provision requiring businesses with over 50 employees to pay a fine of $750-per-worker fine for any employee who purchases subsidized health insurance on their own. However, the provision was amended to require construction businesses with more than five employees to pay the same fine.

The construction industry says that in these lean financial times the provision will result in many of them being forced out of business.

The amendment was inserted Wednesday morning in order to garner the necessary 60 votes to pass the bill.

Construction firms are crying foul over the provision that treats them differently from every other business with fewer than 50 employees.

It’s hard to find a realistic rationale for treating small construction companies differently than other small companies.

Like with the $100 million for a mystery hospital, it isn’t clear what Senator was bought off with this last minute change to Reid’s health care bill, but it clearly was a favor to someone, whether a Senator or union.

The National Association of Homebuilders says that if this legislation is enacted, it could bankrupt thousands of small builders that are barely hanging on after the housing market collapse.

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