DENVER — On Tuesday, May 6, Art Curtis, COO of The Wellbridge Company, met with representatives of U.S. Senator Mark Dayton (D-MN), along with other congressional leaders on Capitol Hill as part of IHRSA's Legislative Summit.
The event was the first of its kind for the fitness industry and focused primarily on health promotion and the industry's commitment to “Reshaping America.”
Curtis joined athletic club owners and operators from across the nation to attend the Legislative Summit and meet with members of Congress in an effort to build support for health promotion legislation, while also conveying the industry's willingness to take a leadership position in the national battle against obesity and the many other, often devastating, illnesses related to a sedentary lifestyle.
“Our meetings in Washington, D.C. went extremely well,” says Curtis. “It is my sincere hope that our lawmakers in Colorado and across the nation, will do all that they can to support legislation that encourages healthy living.”
There are several pieces of health promotion legislation in the U.S. Congress. Of particular interest to the industry is the Workforce Health Improvement Program (WHIP) Act, H. R. 1818, which would allow employers to deduct the cost of providing or subsidizing athletic club memberships for their employees, Curtis says.
Curtis urged his members of Congress to co-sponsor this important measure, which will assist the business community and consumers across the nation by reducing health care costs, particularly for small businesses and their employees.