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Hill Update On November 12, Congress voted to reopen the government after a historic 43-day government shutdown. The bill to reopen the government (another continuing resolution) funds the government through January 30, 2026, rescinds RIFs of federal employees, and includes funding for a ‘minibus’ package for MilCon-VA, Agriculture, and the Legislative Branch. At the heart of the shutdown was the fate of expiring Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, which remains unresolved. There’s also been a renewed push for transparency around Epstein-related documents, reflecting broader political energy around accountability. Operations are back for now, but many are eyeing January 2026 as another possible flashpoint if key issues, such as health care, are not settled.
NAWBO CEO Jen Earle was back on the Hill this week, sharing your stories (thanks to EVERYONE we heard from). We’re hearing that some things are going well while some business owners are struggling in certain areas, and we were able to share that with Congress.
We learned that while the Senate side seemed more interested in finding health care solutions, the House offices were less keen on addressing ACA subsidies. On the other side of the Capitol, the Supreme Court started oral arguments on the President’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs on U.S. trading partners. While some of the justices did express skepticism of the President’s authority in this case, it could be weeks before a final decision is issued. Back on the House side, some members are doing their own discharge petitions on President Trump’s use of IEEPA to impose tariffs, though many think it’s a lost cause because House leadership is waiting for the Supreme Court to act.
Looking ahead, we’ll need to keep hearing from all of you, so Jen can share your updates when she returns to the Hill in January. Advocacy in a Box is LIVE for the NAWBO 2025-2026 calendar year. Any questions?
Go to ADVOCACY IN A BOX. Also, if you missed the Advocacy 103 session, you can find the slides here. Resources From NAWBO Chapters
Across the Country NAWBO Northeast Ohio (NEO) held the NAWBO NEO Jeoparty Call. This helped their chapter learn about Advocacy in a more fun way. Here is the video, and you can review the presentation here.
Press Releases From the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee
*These releases come from the Committee Members, not NAWBO.**
• Ernst Touts Trump Efforts to Make America Affordable Again Today, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) delivered opening remarks during a hearing highlighting how the Trump administration’s unprecedented $907 billion regulatory rollback is unleashing Main Street to keep more money in hardworking Americans’ pockets and make life more affordable. Ernst urged Congress to continue undoing the damage of the Biden years and reduce the regulatory burden by passing her Prove It Act and Red Tape Act to give small businesses a voice in the Washington rulemaking process and prevent deep state bureaucrats from hiding the true cost of the bloated bureaucracy.
• Ernst Introduces Bill To Halt Fraud-Filled SBA Program Following allegations of a $100 million fraud scheme in the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 8(a) program, Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is introducing the Stop 8(a) Contracting Fraud Act to halt all new no-bid awards until a detailed audit of the entire program is conducted. The new legislation comes after Ernst called for major reforms and to assess the damage done by the Biden administration opening the floodgates to fraud by tripling the funding goals of the program that provides billions to “socially and economically disadvantaged businesses.” Click here to view the bill. • Ranking Member Markey Leads Senate Democrats and Small Business Owners in Fight Against Trump Tariffs Ranking Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), alongside Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and six small business owners from across the country called on the Supreme Court to side with small businesses and strike down President Trump’s illegal and reckless tariffs. The press conference took place across the street from the Supreme Court, where Justices heard arguments in the case brought by small business owners challenging Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs. Following the press conference, Ranking Member Markey went to the Supreme Court to listen to the oral arguments. • Ranking Member Markey Introduces Legislation to Reduce Costs for Veteran Entrepreneurs Ranking Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), alongside Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), this week introduced the Veteran Entrepreneurship Empowerment Act to eliminate financial barriers for veterans, military reservists, and their spouses looking to start or grow their small businesses. The legislation would decrease down payment requirements, eliminate fees on small business loans under $1 million, and direct the Small Business Administration (SBA) to collect and publicize data on services provided to veterans. The Veteran Entrepreneurship Empowerment Act was introduced prior to Veterans Day and during National Veteran Small Business Week, which honors the sacrifices of veterans and their families and highlights resources available for veteran entrepreneurs. In Fiscal Year 2025, veteran entrepreneurs received nearly 3,500 loans totaling $1.5 billion through the SBA’s 7(a) and 504 loan programs. Bill Text (PDF) | One-Pager (PDF)
POTUS
On November 14, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order modifying the scope of the reciprocal tariffs that he first announced on April 2, 2025. Specifically, certain qualifying agricultural products will no longer be subject to those tariffs. A fact sheet can be found here. According to the Office of the Public Liaison, given the substantial progress in reciprocal trade negotiations—including the conclusion of nine framework deals, two final agreements on reciprocal trade, and two investment agreements—current domestic demand for certain products, and current domestic capacity to produce certain products, among other things, President Trump has now determined that it is necessary and appropriate to further modify the scope of the reciprocal tariffs. Specifically, certain qualifying agricultural products will no longer be subject to those tariffs, such as certain food not grown in the United States.
The President has thus determined that certain agricultural products shall no longer be subject to the reciprocal tariffs. Some of these products include:
SBA Office of Advocacy Advocacy Releases 2025 Small Business Profiles for Major Metropolitan Areas
Where Do I Get Advocacy Information Beyond This Email? NO CALL IN DECEMBER. Our next monthly Advocacy call will be on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 9 a.m. PT/11 a.m. CT/12 p.m. ET. Please email Elle Patout at epatout@nawbo.org with the subject: “Advocacy Call Attendee” if you wish to attend the call. The next call will be part of the NAWBO Regional Updates, including updates from Greater DC, Philadelphia, Buffalo Niagara, Richmond, South Jersey, New York City, and North & Central Jersey. |
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