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NSBA urges the White House and leaders in Washington to prioritize support for Small Business when it comes to working AI action plans. MARCH 18 | Last week, NSBA responded to the Trump administration's request for information (RFI) on the development of an artificial intelligence (AI) action plan. In the response, NSBA recommended the administration ensure widespread availability of AI research resources, expand workforce and training programs for an AI-driven economy, and support collaborations between small businesses and larger players in the AI space. RELATED | Read more from NSBA's Letters, Comments, and Testimony Library Additionally, NSBA urged the administration to consider flexible solutions to AI policy issues that may arise down the road. Read the full comments here , and follow NSBA as we continue tracking progress of this important USTR initiative.

NSBA is proud to work with leaders in Washington to ensure Small Business is kept at the forefront of considerations for comprehensive, innovation-oriented AI policy. This week, NSBA joined a coalition of industry groups to send a letter to President Trump advocating "a U.S. vision of innovation-oriented AI governance," and urged the Trump administration to "safeguard our AI assets and stop foreign governments from impeding U.S. AI innovators and deployers." RELATED | NSBA Leads AI Letter to Congress Read the full letter here .

NSBA urges the Federal Aquisition Regulation (FAR) Council to remember America's most important economic community when considering proposed rules to address controlled unclassified information (CUI). MARCH 17 | This week, NSBA submitted comments to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council in response to its proposed rule addressing controlled unclassified information (CUI). The proposed rule seeks to advance uniformity across agencies by, among other things, introducing a new standard form to be included in solicitations and contracts to "determine what information under the contract is considered CUI and how to properly safeguard the CUI." RELATED | Read more from NSBA's Letters, Comments, and Testimony Library   In the comments, NSBA lauded the FAR Council for its efforts to streamline guidelines and protocols for cybersecurity, but warned that the proposed rule would create burdensome compliance costs for small business contractors.  NSBA similarly warned of these risks in its Oct. 2024 comments on the Defense Acquisition Regulation System's proposed rule to implement the Cybersecurity Maturation Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 program." Read the full comments here , and follow NSBA as we continue advocating to ensure security protocols and procurement regulations do not unduly burden Small Business.

Shutdowns harm Small Business. NSBA commends Congress' working commitments to keep the government funded and open. UPDATE, MARCH 15 | President Donald Trump signed a stopgap funding bill that will keep the government open for the remainder of the fiscal year, paving the way for Republican lawmakers to pivot to signature border and tax bills they seek to pass in the coming months. ____ UPDATE, MARCH 14 PM | The Senate passed the CR spending bill Friday, averting a government shutdown hours before the midnight deadline. Members passed the measure 54 to 46, with Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Angus King (I-ME) joining Republicans in voting for the bill. ____ UPDATE, MARCH 14 | After Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) dropped his blockade against the House-passed spending bill, nine Dems and one Independent allied with the GOP, joining nearly all Republicans in the final procedural vote for the continuing resolution. This shift surpassed the required 60-vote threshold on the bill, paving the way for passage by a simple majority later today. Shutdowns harm Small Business. Follow NSBA as we track the latest on the CR from Capitol Hill. ____ UPDATE, MARCH 11, PM EDITION | Legislation to keep the government open past Saturday, avoiding a shutdown deadline, is headed to the Senate after passing the House 217-213 along party lines this afternoon. Looking ahead to action in the Upper Chamber, including reported opposition from Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), the legislation will likely need the support of at least eight Democrats in the Senate to become law. If the measure fails in the Senate, with House Members effectively adjourning for the week tomorrow, Republican congressional leaders could try to pass a shorter-term stopgap later in the week and bring House lawmakers back to Washington to cast votes. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Shutdowns harm Small Business. Follow NSBA as we continue tracking progress of this working CR. ____ UPDATE, MARCH 11 | Following passage in the House Rules Committee along a party-line vote of 9-3 last night, the House will take a close vote today on a measure to fund the government through Sept. 30 — a bill broadly supported by Republicans and opposed by Democrats. Follow NSBA as we continue tracking progress of the CR and congressional authorizations and appropriations critical to Small Business. ____ MARCH 10 | The ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus threw its backing behind a stopgap funding package this week, bolstering Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) attempt to pass the bill without the help of House Democrats and avert a government shutdown on March 15. The vote on the stopgap is set for March 11, and Johnson can likely only afford to lose two Republicans should no Democrats vote to support the continuing resolution (CR) for funding. If the measure passes the House, it will require the help of at least seven Democrats to clear the Senate where 60 votes will be needed, where one Dem - Senator John Fetterman (PA) - . said he would vote for a stopgap bill to prevent a shutdown. President Donald Trump has endorsed the bill, which would add $6 billion to defense and $440 million for immigration enforcement while cutting Internal Revenue Service funds by $20 billion. Follow NSBA as we continue tracking progress of the CR and congressional authorizations and appropriations critical to Small Business.

NSBA urges the Senate to advance and confirm Chavez-DeRemer's nomination to support Small Business and labor policies. UPDATE, 10 MARCH | The Senate tonight voted 67-32 to confirm former Oregon Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer to serve as the Trump administration’s Secretary of Labor to lead the agency in charge of enforcing a wide swath of workplace protection laws, such as those governing wages, occupational safety, seasonal foreign employees, and retirement investment advisors, NSBA congratulates and looks forward to working with Chavez-DeRemer in her new role. ____ UPDATE, 27 FEB. | The Senate HELP Committee voted on Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s Labor secretary nomination. Majority Whip John Barrasso told reporters the Senate would likely fully confirm Chavez-DeRemer next week. Follow NSBA as we continue tracking this nominee.  ____ Ahead of a consideration by a Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee panel this week, NSBA sent a letter to Senate leaders expressing strong support for the nomination of The Honorable Lori Chavez-DeRemer, of Oregon, to be United States Secretary of Labor. Small companies represent more than 99 percent of all businesses in the United States, and the Small-Business community collectively employs nearly half of the nation’s workforce, with these companies and their employees at the heart of NSBA's policy pursuits, priorities, and considerations. RELATED | NSBA Small-Business Community Ratifies Priority Issues for 119th Congress NSBA works every day to ensure main street employees are proud to go to work, and small companies are able to remain employers of choice: offering competitive, affordable, and flexible benefits and compensation. After much consideration, and productive and engaging conversations with the nominee, NSBA believes the Hon. Chavez-DeRemer is an excellent candidate to lead the Department of Labor. Coming from a Small-Business background, Chavez-DeRemer understands exactly what main street businesses across America need to keep their local communities thriving and to ensure American workers and businesses are able to compete and win on the world stage. As the nation’s oldest Small-Business advocacy organization, representing our membership of more than 65,000 and the 70+ million owners and employees that make up the U.S. Small-Business sector, NSBA strongly urges the Senate to advance and confirm Chavez-DeRemer's nomination. Read our full letter here .

NSBA urges the USTR to focus on solutions for unfair, harmful trade agreement practices through work with economic stakeholders - especially Small Business. MARCH 10 | This week, NSBA submitted comments on the Office of the United States Trade Representative's (USTR) “Request for Comments to Assist in Reviewing and Identifying Unfair Trade Practices and Initiating All Necessary Actions to Investigate Harm From Non-Reciprocal Trade Arrangements.” The comments will assist the U.S. Trade Representative in its work pursuant to the America First Trade Policy Presidential Memorandum  and the Reciprocal Trade and Tariffs Presidential Memorandum .  RELATED | Read more from NSBA's Letters, Comments, and Testimony Library   In the comments, NSBA advocated bolstered U.S. IP protection, including holistic examination of China’s treatment of IP rights and robust safeguards against IP theft. Accordingly, NSBA urged USTR, in its recommendations to the President, to specifically focus on China’s IP theft and work with economic stakeholders, including small business, to develop a plan to deter this unfair and economically burdensome trade practice. Read the full comments here , and follow NSBA as we continue tracking progress of this important USTR initiative.

NSBA urges the Senate to advance and confirm William Briggs' nomination to support Small Business as Deputy Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA). MARCH 11 | This week, NSBA sent a letter to Senate leaders expressing strong support for the nomination of William Briggs, of Texas, to be Deputy Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA). On Wednesday, the Senate will hold a hearing on Mr. Briggs to determine final committee approval before advancing on to a vote before the entire Senate. The SBA plays a pivotal role in helping ensure Small Businesses, which represent more than 99 percent of all companies operating in the United States, as well as employ roughly half the nation’s workforce, have access to the resources, capital, and support they need to start, grow, and thrive in an increasingly competitive global economy. RELATED |  NSBA Small-Business Community Ratifies Priority Issues for 119th Congress Gained by his tenure as Acting Associate Administrator in the SBA’s Office of Capital Access, as well as his leadership in public policy and financial services, Mr. Briggs would bring a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing America’s Small Businesses. Having demonstrated his commitment to the Small-Businesses community, with his experiences making him uniquely qualified to serve as Deputy Administrator, NSBA is confident that Mr. Briggs will provide the vision, leadership, and dedication necessary to strengthen the SBA’s mission and support America’s most important economic community. NSBA respectfully urges the Senate to advance and fully confirm this nominee. Read our full letter here . Follow NSBA as we continue tracking the progress of this important nomination for Small Business. ____

NSBA urges the Senate to advance and confirm Dr. Mulligan's cabinet nomination to support Small Business and advocacy for America's most important economic community. UPDATE, MARCH 11 | This week, the Senate will hold a hearing on Dr. Casey Mulligan ahead of final committee approval and full passage to be confirmed as Chief Counsel for Advocacy at the Small Business Administration (SBA). Follow NSBA as we continue tracking the progress of this important nomination for Small Business. ____ In early March, NSBA sent a letter to Senate leaders expressing strong support for the nomination of Dr. Casey Mulligan, to be Chief Counsel for Advocacy at the Small Business Administration (SBA). Small companies represent more than 99 percent of all businesses in the United States, and NSBA's small-business members and wider community collectively employ nearly half of the nation’s workforce. RELATED |  NSBA Small-Business Community Ratifies Priority Issues for 119th Congress However, despite these figures, small businesses are uniquely vulnerable to shifting regulatory burdens and are much more likely to bear the brunt of excessive government regulation. For years, the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), which clearly outlines regulatory agencies’ duties in accounting for impacts of their actions on small entities, has gone all but ignored. Agencies have bypassed the process, and small businesses have paid the price. Exacerbating the problem is the fact that the sole independent office in the Federal Government tasked with engaging with agencies as a part of the RFA has gone without a confirmed leader for nearly a decade. Small companies need, and deserve, a fully staffed Office of Advocacy to serve as their watchdog in the Federal regulatory process. NSBA was pleased that President Trump made a historically early nomination of Dr. Mulligan to lead the Office, signaling the importance of the role and the Office itself. After much consideration, and productive and engaging conversations with the nominee, NSBA believes Dr. Mulligan is the ideal candidate to lead the Office of Advocacy. He brings a unique—and highly beneficial—combination of academic expertise and technical understanding of government to the role. We strongly urge you to advance his nomination out of Committee, and confirm him before the full Senate. Read our full letter here .

NSBA applauds Treasury and FinCEN for choosing common sense to respond to Small-Business concerns over the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, March 3, 2025   Contact: Molly Day 202-552-2904 mday@NSBAadvocate.org   Treasury Announces Broad CTA Roll-Back UPDATE | MARCH 5, 2025, NSBA’s Michigan affiliate, the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM), recently notched another critical victory against the unconstitutional Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). This week, Judge Robert Jonker of the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan ruled in favor of SBAM in its suit against the Treasury Department over the CTA, specifically saying, “[t]he CTA may have good intentions, but the road it chooses to pursue them paves over all reasonable limits.” Judge Jonker agreed with SBAM’s assertion that the CTA violates the Fourth Amendment rights of small-business owners.    This decision helps continue the long-term fight against the CTA and the harms it causes small companies. While President Trump and Treasury Secretary Bessent this week announced the government will be adjusting authorities of the CTA, intending now to only enforce beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirements as applicable only to foreign companies - without a final action by Courts or Congress to formally repeal the CTA, any future Administration could reinstate the rules, pulling the rug out from under Main Street entrepreneurs.   Because of these longer-term uncertainties, NSBA is continuing is fight over the CTA, urging Congress to codify the victory won for NSBA members as of March 1, 2024 - the only class of small-business owners who have remained exempt from reporting requirements by injunction of our winning federal court order through the unsettling CTA back and forth. Working to extend this exemption to all small-business owners and those members who joined NSBA after the March 1, 2024, deadline included in our victory for America's most important economic community, the SBAM decision further ratifies our position that the CTA is unconstitutional, echoing the arguments made in our first-in-the-nation lawsuit over the CTA. Read the full court decision for the SBAM case and victory over the CTA here . Learn how the CTA affects your small business here . ____   Washington, D.C. – Late Sunday, March 2, Treasury announced they will NOT take any enforcement actions under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) on U.S. citizens or domestic reporting companies or their beneficial owners. Per forthcoming emergency regulations, Treasury says they will only take action against foreign companies that fail to comply with the CTA and/or Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting. President Donald Trump echoed the sentiment on Truth Social, citing that the CTA rule “…has been a nightmare for Small Businesses Nationwide.”   NSBA has been leading the charge for years against the CTA and filed the first lawsuit in the nation against Treasury over this unfair regulatory regime, and warned lawmakers before the CTA even passed about the massive burden and invasion of privacy it would be for small businesses.   President and CEO Todd McCracken had this to say: “Today is a good day for small business. I applaud the administration for seeing this law for what it is: a massive burden on America’s job creators which will do next to nothing to actually stop money-laundering. We have been beating the drum on this flawed concept for three administration’s now, and I’m glad our message  has finally gotten through.”   The announcement from Treasury reads:   The Treasury Department is announcing today that, with respect to the Corporate Transparency Act, not only will it not enforce any penalties or fines associated with the beneficial ownership information reporting rule under the existing regulatory deadlines, but it will further not enforce any penalties or fines against U.S. citizens or domestic reporting companies or their beneficial owners after the forthcoming rule changes take effect either. The Treasury Department will further be issuing a proposed rulemaking that will narrow the scope of the rule to foreign reporting companies only. Treasury takes this step in the interest of supporting hard-working American taxpayers and small businesses and ensuring that the rule is appropriately tailored to advance the public interest.   Although this latest movement in the CTA drama is a very positive one, it is important to note that the battle over CTA is likely still not over. There are various lawsuits in the pipeline—including NSBA’s—and it is anticipated that additional lawsuits could be filed to force the administration to comply with the law.   Click here for NSBA’s CTA Resource  page.   Celebrating more than 85 years in operation, NSBA is a staunchly nonpartisan organization advocating on behalf of America’s entrepreneurs. NSBA's 65,000 members represent every state and every industry in the U.S. Please visit www.nsba.biz  or follow us at @NSBAAdvocate.   ###

NSBA applauds the Senate for holding this important hearing on SBIR/STTR reauthorization for Small Business. Senate Hearing on SBIR/STTR Reauthorization March 5 MARCH 5, 2025 | TODAY, the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship will hold a hearing scheduled on the SBIR and STTR program.  The Hearing, titled "Golden Age of American Innovation: Reforming SBIR-STTR for the 21st Century" will take place at 2:30pm in the Senate Small Business Committee Hearing room, and will be livestreamed from the Committee's website.  NSBA's Small Business Technology Council (SBTC) member Ken Mahmud from Triton Systems, Inc, has been invited to participate as one of the four witnesses. This hearing takes place a week after the House Small Business Committee held its own hearing on SBIR/STTR reauthorization .  The two committees are moving rapidly to get bills drafted and passed before the programs are set to expire on September 30.  As SBTC continues to urge Congress and its members, there is very little time to waste, as getting legislation passed through regular order can be a very long and deliberative process, of which public hearings is only the first step.  SBTC is pleased that both the House and Senate committees have thus far been moving quickly to get the process started. Follow the link below to the Senate Small Business Committee Hearing website to learn more about the hearing, read the witness's testimonies, and watch the livestream of the hearing, this afternoon: SSBEC March 5 Hearing on SBIR/STTR Reauthorization

NSBA looks forward to continuing its efforts to drive member-elected Priority Issues through pragmatic action with the Administration and all leaders committed to Small Business in Washington. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 4, 2025   Contact: Molly Day 202-552-2904 press@nsba.biz   Small Business Reacts to State of the Union Washington, D.C. – President Donald Trump delivered a formal address before a joint session of Congress this evening where he focused on immigration, foreign affairs and various social policies. President Trump also touched on economic issues, citing several large business deals and gave the U.S. House of Representatives a hat-tip for passing legislation to extend the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) extension.   Below is a statement from NSBA President and CEO Todd McCracken:   “NSBA is pleased that President Trump elevated the importance of extending the TCJA tax breaks to small businesses—something that was already made permanent for large corporations. Given that the majority of small-business owners pay business taxes at the personal income level—83 percent are pass-through entities—extending the JCTA tax cuts is critical to small business. “For years, NSBA has been warning policymakers about the challenges posed by various sunsetting laws and how those create additional hardships that fall squarely on the shoulders of small business. Today, that fear is front-and-center. I urge lawmakers of every stripe to seek solutions to ensure that small businesses are afforded tax stability, predictability, and permanency, not to mention parity with larger businesses. “Furthermore, I urge policymakers on both ends of Pennsylvania Ave. to support policies that truly help America’s small businesses : full repeal of the Corporate Transparency Act, rein in the cost of health care, fair and equitable access to capital and federal contracts, and a strong U.S. Small Business Administration and Office of Advocacy. “I look forward to working with the Trump administration, and Democrats and Republicans in Congress to provide insight and perspective from America’s small businesses as policymakers move forward on key small-business priorities.”   Celebrating nearly 90 years in operation, NSBA is a staunchly nonpartisan organization advocating on behalf of America’s entrepreneurs. NSBA's 65,000 members represent every state and every industry in the U.S., and we are proud to be the nation’s first small-business advocacy organization. Please visit www.NSBAadvocate.org or follow us at @NSBAAdvocate.   ###

Keep your Small Business ahead of the game - subscribe to Rundown with NSBA's latest Regulatory updates from Washington. Register here! Regulatory Rundown: Feb. 17 - March 3 Loeffler’s “day one” memo. On Feb. 24, newly sworn-in Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Kelly Loeffler issued  a memo outlining her top priorities for the agency. In the memo, Loeffler pledged to take certain actions including (but not limited to): Creating a “strike force” to cut regulation by working alongside the Chief Counsel for the SBA Office of Advocacy “to cut past and future regulations across the board and partner with all federal agencies” to ensure they are working to spur a successful small business ecosystem. Transforming SBA’s Office of International Trade into the Office of Manufacturing and Trade to “focus on promoting economic independence, job creation, and fair trade practices.” Evaluating workforce reduction measures, “including the overhaul of all advisory boards.” The executive orders continue. The Trump White House has continued to issue executive orders (EOs) on issues including (but not limited to): DOGE and “cost efficiency” : Signed on Feb. 26, this EO directs agencies to “immediately review all contracts and grants for waste, fraud, and abuse.” Healthcare price transparency : Signed on Feb. 25, this EO directs the Departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services to take certain actions to “ensure hospitals and insurers disclose actual prices, not estimates.” The EO also directs these agencies to “take action to make prices comparable across hospitals and insurers, including prescription drug prices.” Deregulation . Signed on Feb. 19, this EO directs agencies to “review all regulations subject to their jurisdiction and for consistency with law and Trump Administration policy, prioritizing rules that impose heavy costs.” NSBA weighs in. On Feb. 17, NSBA submitted comments  expressing support for an SBA proposed rule “to encourage faster payments to small business subcontractors and streamline the reporting process for prime contracts.” By requiring prime contractors to notify a contracting officer in writing when they fail to make full or timely payments to a subcontractor within 30 days past the payment due date, SBA’s proposed rule takes a critical step in the right direction in creating an environment of accountability that benefits small business subcontractors.