NSBA members are doing big things at Small Business Congress 2025! Follow here for live updates from SBC25 as the Delegates nominate and ratify our Priority Issues for the 119th Congress.
FEB. 08, 12:00 PM | Following adjournment of the 2025 SBC Delegates, Board Members made their way to the NSBA office, where progress on the strategic plan to expand NSBA's reach and engagement to drive change for the Small-Business community was addressed and evaluated. Key performance indicators have been exceeded across the board as NSBA continues to grow its membership and influence across Washington.
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FEB. 08, 9:45 AM | The penultimate event before voting, NSBA Board Members and Committee Chairmen Virginia Zimmerman, Robert Lesko, Milan Gandi, and Alex Cates respectively led Presentations for the Economic Development, Environment & Regulatory Affairs, Health & Human Resources, and Taxation Committees, providing an overview of the Day One Education Discussions and recap of the contenders for ratification to Priority Issues.
Sharing results with SBC 2025 Delegates in real time, the following were the top 10 issues selected as Priority Issues for NSBA to pursue for change with Congress and the Trump Administration for the 119th Session:
Chosen from more than 35 Issue Brief topics presented and discussed as part of the SBC 2025 program, America's Small-Business community has affirmed its top concern to be action on extending expiring tax provisions, with a tax-specific Priority of extending the 199A pass-through deduction coming in as the second highest concern facing Small-Business owners.
From there, NSBA President and CEO Todd McCracken moved to close SBC 2025.
To access the full set of Issue Briefs, including papers on the ratified Priority Issues for the 119th Congress, subscribe to NSBA's Regulatory Rundown or our Weekly Advocate.
Read the Priority Issues for the 118th Congress here.
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FEB. 08, 9:15 AM | Leading a Legislative and Regulatory Look Ahead for 2025, SBC Delegates heard from NSBA President and CEO Todd McCracken, NSBA's Senior Director of Government Affairs Reed Wescott, and NSBA's hired gun Prism Group partner extraordinaire Mervyn Jones on what's what in Washington.
On the flurry of executive orders coming from the White House, Jones summed up the situation in one fell swoop:
"You can expect a lot of lawsuits to reach the Supreme Court."
Townhall overviews next, and voting after that - SBC Delegates will ratify NSBA's Priority Issues before close of business.
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FEB. 08, 8:30 AM | Representative Roger Williams is Chairman of one of the House’s most important committees, and he’s always saving a seat at the table for Small Business.
A real life Small-Business owner and Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Small Business, thank you for remembering America’s most important economic community, Congressman - your commitments to improving Small-Business policy are minimizing risk and maximizing reward of opportunities for NSBA members and citizens across the country.
Members are headed into the Presidential Ballroom to begin the morning briefs before the voting begins!
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FEB. 08, 8:00 AM | A good day starts with a healthy breakfast, and, just four weeks into the job, freshman Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-MI-08) - Small Business Association of Michigan Legislator of the Year - already knows:
“A healthy vibrant economy runs through our Small Businesses.”
Thank you for joining NSBA and the Small-Business community to kick off Day Two of SBC 2025 - we’re looking forward to working with you to craft pragmatic, common sense policy for Small Business in the 119th and beyond!
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FEB. 07, 5:00 PM | Wrapping up Day One of SBC 2025 with breakout sessions on AI and Business Growth Through the Federal Marketplace with John Stanford of the Prism Group, members continued conversations over cocktails and confections at our networking reception.
During the reception, NSBA offered the Delegates complimentary headshots to elevate the calling cards and outward facing impacts of their Small Business.
We're looking forward to another productive day tomorrow morning, then off to ratifying NSBA's Priority Issues through 2026!
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FEB. 06, 4:45 PM - SBC 2025 YEARROUND | Up next at SBC, a panel on AI and Small Business with Simon Morrison, of Amazon, and Michael Fleischman, of DLA Piper, PLLC.
In a rapidly changing world, comprehensive policy prioritizing Small Business in AI rules and regs of the day is nonnegotiable, and we're looking forward to continuing our work with Congress and the White House to maximize opportunities for America's most important economic community.
Couldn't join us for this year's Small Business Congress, check in next week for our webinar with Jeeva.ai on Filling the AI Gap for Small Business, featuring Jeeva Chairman Gaurav Bhattacharya and NSBA's very own Director of Research and Regulatory Affairs Rachel Grey!
Space is limited:
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FEB. 06, 3:20 PM | A tax talk that didn't put anyone to sleep, Alex Cates from NSBA's Board hosted an informative panel on the ways and means rules affecting the Small-Business community.
"We can't boil the ocean," but panelists Alex Hendrie of the National Association of Wholesalers, and Bob Carroll of EY, provided deep insights on the tax questions of the day on the mind of Small-Business owners everywhere.
Thank you to all of our supporters and speakers making SBC 2025 so substantive.
Perhaps a robot will write the next update, as we dive into all things AI.
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FEB. 06, 2:30 PM | We've stopped being polite and started getting real on what to do about the current challenges and bloated regulatory environment weighing on the Small-Business community in our first panel of the afternoon.
Hosted by NSBA Board Leader Tim Opsitnick, Kevin Kosar, of the American Enterprise Institute, Corey Cooke, of the Senate Small Business Committee, and Tom Sullivan, of U.S. Chamber of Commerce were candid on the situation of laws and uncertainty affecting the Small-Business community:
"Small Business do not receive the respect they deserve."
Stopping short on performing a rendition of Aretha's classic hit, the message was clear, and the respect for NSBA's members' commitments to share their Small Business story and provide important context for driving change from Washington was evident.
Thank you to Senator and Chairwoman of the Senate Small Business Committee Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), as well, for your continued support of common sense Small Business policies. Some have a way to go, but your priorities for Small Business are clear, and you've PROVE(d) It.
Read more about the Senator's PROVE It Act and support from NSBA for this important legislation.
Talk talk up next.
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FEB. 06, 1:45 PM | Quick refresh before we begin our afternoon sessions at SBC 2025!
SBC 2025 would not be possible and NSBA would not be as impactful as it is for Small Business without support from our partners and sponsors, like the American Arbitration Association!
The AAA is dedicated to supporting opportunities and education on benefits of including arbitration clauses in Small-Business agreements, which can save America's most important economic community more of their hard-earned money. Savings of this type are critical and allow Small Business to invest in expansion, which positively impacts the entire country, rather than languishing in court caught up in a fight that could have been an email.
Pumping the caffeine for our SBC Delegates, the coffee's refreshed for the afternoon - the Rad Coffee, that is! Thank you again to NSBA newcomer and Small-Business maverick Jade Valore for supply of the most important part of SBC! We can't wait to see where you'll go next, and we'd be privileged to be a part of your journey!
On to the afternoon panels!
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FEB. 06, 12:45 PM | TAX GIRL IS HERE.
If you don't know Forbes' Kelly Phillips Erb, she is a lawyer - the good kind - and on the side of the good guy, evident through her comprehensive and fair coverage of all things tax, financial crime, and CTA.
A resident of Philadelphia and Birds fan headed into this Super Bowl weekend, Erb has become a resource for NSBA in how poorly the Treasury and its FinCEN unit have communicated, rolled out, implemented, and flailed around with the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA).
In fact, she provided an exclusive update on the CTA at NSBA's SBC Luncheon before the agencies:
While the CTA is currently under an injunction and filing requirements are voluntary at the time of this writing, for how the original FinCEN filing deadlines for beneficial ownership reports have passed, the question becomes what happens should the injunction fall.
For how federal district judges are increasingly applying their rulings on a nationwide level, changing trends of rulings of such scope typically coming from higher appeals and circuit courts, it's clear the CTA is a game changer even beyond the Small-Business community.
Deciding the discrepancies between the lower courts, the Supreme Court says it is not ready to answer what to do about changes in filing deadlines if the injunction is cancelled.
The government is currently appealing the injunctions issued over their cases against CTA complaints, formally requesting the injunction(s) be stayed and filing requirements come back into place.
Reportedly, if the CTA is reinstated, the government has requested 30 days extension for time for Small-Business owners to file and comply.
A polite laughter from the SBC Delegates scoffed at this notion, with NSBA members heavily educated on the undue and unconstitutional effects of the CTA on the Small-Business community.
Another question Erb said she gets often is why President Trump cannot act to overturn the CTA. Although the President cannot overturn a codified law, the administration can choose not to enforce its terms.
Relatedly, we are hopeful the wave of amnesia sweeping Congress, afflicting Members who do not remember voting for the CTA, is resolved through a full repeal of this cumbersome law soon.
While there is clearly some road ahead to the conclusion on the CTA saga, NSBA is thankful for leaders, like, Erb and their coverage on the CTA and all things business affecting our not-so-small community.
Full hearts, full stomachs - ready to take on the rest of the afternoon for Day One at SBC 2025!
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FEB. 06, 12:25 PM | LUNCHTIME to digest the great conversations from our morning panels, including:
David Burton of the Heritage Foundation, on Capital Formation & Financial Regulation;
Former Chief Counsel from the Office of Advocacy at the Small Business Administration (SBA) and NSBA's Small Business Technology Council Chairman Jere Glover on Innovation & Intellectual Property; and
Steven Abbott, of Gusto, and Seth Waugh, of Dentons, on Health and Human Resources.
Preparing the Delegates for Priority Issue selection, NSBA is privileged to learn and share perspectives with all of the speakers to better inform our efforts and impacts in crafting, changing, and ensuring common sense Small-Business policy.
Looking for the full lineup of the SBC Schedule?
Off to lunch!
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FEB. 06, 11:00 AM | LIVE ON LINKEDIN
Join NSBA and the Export-Import Bank of the United States live at SBC2025 with Small-Business member Chris Christenberry, of Atlantic Health Solutions and Rejuvaskin, in a conversation on the importance of confidence in exporting.
In today's evolving world, NSBA Partner EXIM Bank provides insights and assurances where traditional financing and support fall short, increasing opportunity for Small Business to grow beyond borders.
Follow this event announcement, and hit the notification bell on the main NSBA page to join the livestream!
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FEB. 06, 9:00 AM | Starting the morning off strong with opening SBC sessions featuring Andrew Lawrence from Clement & Murphy, PLLC, and Rep. Zach Nunn (R-Iowa), including thoughtful insights on the status of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA).
Congressman Nunn is a consummate leader on action over the CTA, introducing a number of legislative items to combat the ill-effects of the CTA.
Read more about Rep. Nunn's work with NSBA and the Small-Business community, including efforts to repeal the CTA.
If you haven't heard, NSBA is on a crusade to reform, rethink, and, ultimately, repeal the CTA for undue, unconstitutional burdens it extends exclusively over Small Business.
Read more about NSBA's work over the CTA, including a member injunction secured by our victory in federal court at the beginning of 2024.
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FEB. 06, 8:00 AM | REGISTRATION is open! We are pleased to welcome our Delegates for conversations with NSBA partners, and keeping us caffeinated this year, the coffee is hot and complimentary from our California member Jade Valore, owner of Rad Coffee!
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JOIN NSBA FEB. 06 as we kick off our biennial Small Business Congress (SBC), including exclusive briefings from Members of Congress, leaders in Washington, and up-to-the minute announcements as Delegates learn about, nominate, and ratify Priority Issues for the 119th Congress.
Attending SBC in Washington in person? Click here for access to the digital materials packet!
