ARLINGTON, Va. — The Senate health care reform legislation will undermine affordable health care and stifle retail job growth for years to come, according to the Retail Industry Leaders Association here.

In a statement, John Emling, RILA's senior vice president for government affairs, was strongly critical of the measure which he said would increase costs for RILA member companies — large-box retailers including Wal-Mart — by reducing plan flexibility and imposing new requirements.

"The legislation emerging from closed-door Senate negotiations will dramatically increase costs, undermine plan design flexibility and force retail employees from the health care plans they currently know and like, Emling said. "What's more, the billions of dollars in new costs could undermine retail industry job growth at a time when job retention and job creation must be our top priority."

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