NFIB Weekly News
Leading the News
NFIB Releases New Ads Thanking Congress for Making the 20% Small Business Tax Deduction Permanent (08/22/2025)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Aug. 22, 2025) – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization, today released new radio, digital and billboard advertisements thanking Congress for taking action to make the 20% Small Business Tax Deduction permanent.
The multi-platform campaign, which represents a continuation of NFIB’s multi-year advocacy effort in support of the Small Business Deduction, is running on radio, digital, and billboards in states across the country. The ads thank Congress for voting to make the deduction permanent and for stopping a massive tax hike on small business owners.
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Federal Court Delivers Swipe-Fee Relief for Small Business Retailers (08/12/2025)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Aug. 12, 2025) – NFIB commends the recent decision in the case Corner Post, Inc. v. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System at the United States District Court for the District of North Dakota. The case concerns the Federal Reserve’s Regulation II, which allows banks to extract exorbitant profits from small businesses through debit card swipe fees. The court vacated the rule, concluding that the Federal Reserve considered factors beyond the authority granted to it by Congress. Unfortunately, the court paused its holding from taking effect while the government appeals.
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Small businesses support commonsense legislation to provide clarity and reduce excessive government regulation (07/21/2025)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 21, 2025) – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization, announced that H.R. 3898, the Promoting Efficient Review for Modern Infrastructure Today (PERMIT) Act will be an NFIB Key Vote for the 119th Congress. NFIB sent a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives in support of the legislation which, if enacted, will deliver a long overdue fix to the Clean Water Act’s (CWA) permitting framework and will provide small business owners with much needed certainty surrounding the permitting process.
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Small Businesses Ask for Clarity Regarding Arbitration Exemptions (07/17/2025)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 17, 2025) – NFIB filed an amicus brief in the case Jose Madrigal v. Ferguson Enterprises, LLC, et al. at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The case considers the Federal Arbitration Act’s exemption of transportation workers who engage in foreign or interstate commerce. NFIB filed the brief with the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
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NFIB wins lawsuit against the Federal Trade Commission (07/09/2025)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 9, 2025) – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) celebrates a victory in the case Custom Communications, Inc. v. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. NFIB filed a legal challenge against the FTC’s Negative Option Rule, which targeted small businesses that engage in automatic renewals of subscriptions or memberships. Yesterday, the Court ruled in favor of small businesses and vacated the harmful rule.
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NFIB Thanks Congress for Passing Landmark Small Business Tax Relief Bill (07/03/2025)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 3, 2025) – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization, applauds Congress for passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which includes a permanent extension of the 20% Small Business Tax Deduction, achieving NFIB’s top legislative priority to stop the small business tax hike.
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Business Climate
Small Businesses Urge Congress to Pass Healthcare Freedom and Choice Act (08/19/2025)
Small businesses widely rely on STLD health insurance plans to provide coverage for employees. The current one-size-fits-all restrictions eliminate affordable options for small businesses and their employees. NFIB sent letters of support to the U.S. House and Senate urging them to pass the Healthcare Freedom and Choice Act for better health care choices for small businesses.
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Small Businesses Make Progress Against Regulatory Burdens (08/19/2025)
As NFIB continues its fight to eliminate harmful regulations and overreach impacting small businesses, there have been significant developments in several recent legal cases. Learn more about the implications of these critical cases facing small businesses.
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Main Street Business Owners Report Improving Conditions (08/12/2025)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 12, 2025) – The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index rose 1.7 points in July to 100.3, slightly above the 52-year average of 98. Contributing most to the rise in the Optimism Index were respondents reporting better business conditions and reporting that it is a good time to expand. In contrast to the Optimism Index, the Uncertainty Index increased by eight points from June to 97. Twenty-one percent of small business owners reported labor quality as their single most important problem, up five points from June and ranking as the top problem.
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New Op-Ed Highlights Labor Threats Facing Small Businesses (08/08/2025)
Washington, D.C. (August 8, 2025) – In a new op-ed in The Washington Reporter, Dylan Rosnick, NFIB Principal of Federal Government Relations highlights the labor threats facing small business owners and outlines how certain policy proposals in Congress could decimate Main Street businesses. Rosnick urges lawmakers in Washington, D.C. to deliver relief by rejecting radical, big-government mandates that bury small businesses in uncertainty, regulatory burdens, and red tape.
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Expert Analysis on the Status of the Small Business Economy (08/05/2025)
With small businesses comprising nearly 45% of the American Gross Domestic Product (GDP), metrics measured by the NFIB Small Business Economic Trends survey are an effective barometer to understand greater economic trends. The data is clear—the economy is solid, even if it is moving at a slower pace.
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Small Business Urges Congress to Support SHIELD Act (08/04/2025)
Many small businesses currently struggle to retain qualified workers, and unemployment benefits for striking workers provide incentives to continue labor disputes. The Securing Help for Involuntary Employment Loss and Displacement (SHIELD) Act was introduced by Indiana Representative Rudy Yakym to help small businesses retain qualified workers. NFIB Principal of Federal Government Relations, Tyler Dever, sent a letter of support to Congress.
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Wages and Benefits
Tips to Avoid Five Most Common HR Mistakes (08/04/2025)
Maintaining a happy and productive workplace requires structure and guidance. Many claims, lawsuits, and issues in business are avoidable with proper attentiveness. Watch this webinar featuring Beth Milito, Vice President and Executive Director of the NFIB Small Business Legal Center to learn more.
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NFIB Jobs Report: Labor Shortages Continue to Constrain Small Business Job Growth (05/01/2025)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 1, 2025) – NFIB’s April jobs report found that 34% (seasonally adjusted) of small business owners reported job openings they could not fill in April, down six points from March, the lowest since January 2021.
“Small business owners remained open to hire and grow their workforce in April,” said Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg. “While the percent of open positions decreased a bit, Main Street firms are still struggling to find qualified applicants for their plentiful open positions.”
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Health Care: Small Business Pays More, Gets Less (04/16/2025)
What it means: Affordable health care is essential for the success of America’s small businesses. Small business owner Marcie Strouse shared with lawmakers the various ways Congress can provide relief from rising costs.
Our take: “Small businesses are paying more and getting less. Small firms pay nearly twice as much for health insurance as large businesses. Unlike large corporations, small businesses lack the bargaining power to negotiate lower premiums,” said Josselin Castillo, NFIB Principal Federal Government Relations.
Take Action: It is time for Congress to provide immediate relief for millions of Americans. Urge your elected officials to make health care more accessible and affordable to small business owners.
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Small Businesses Support Legislation to Restart the PAID Program (03/26/2025)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 26, 2025) – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization, sent a letter to Rep. Glenn Grothman (WI-06) in strong support of his legislation, the Ensuring Workers Get PAID Act. This legislation would reinstate and codify the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) program, which provided small businesses flexibility to self-report and correct minor wage and hour violations before incurring a penalty.
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NFIB Jobs Report: Small Business Job Creation Weakens in February (03/06/2025)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 6, 2025) – NFIB’s February jobs report found that 38% (seasonally adjusted) of small business owners reported job openings they could not fill in February, up three points from January and the highest reading since August 2024. A seasonally adjusted net 15% of owners plan to create new jobs in the next three months, down three points from January.
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NFIB report reveals a growing health insurance affordability crisis for small business owners and employers (02/19/2025)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 19, 2025) – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization, released a new health care policy paper entitled, “Addressing the Health Insurance Affordability Crisis for Small Businesses.” The findings reveal a dire prognosis for the small-group insurance market as employer-provided health coverage is becoming unsustainable for millions of small businesses and their employees. The report also highlights the top legislative solutions Congress should enact to provide relief for small businesses.
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