The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) recently announced to its membership that despite some “wins” in 2025, there is still lots that Congress can do to improve the economic and regulatory landscape for small businesses.

Going into 2026, NFIB said its focus will be on getting Congress to act to lower operating costs, secure affordable health care, and limit regulations on small businesses.

Small businesses  saw great progress last year, stated an open letter to NFIB members. The permanent extension of the 20% Small Business Tax Deduction will help more than 33 million small businesses across the country invest in their businesses and communities.

Important regulatory relief exempted U.S. small business owners from the invasive Beneficial Ownership Information  (BOI) reporting requirement  that posed security risks and significant penalties. Although, “This win for small business is not yet fully across the finish line,” stated the announcement. “Congress needs to permanently exempt  US small businesses or repeal the BOI mandate so a future administration does not rewrite this regulation. The data from US small businesses that have already filed their BOI also need to be destroyed.”

NFIB’s top legislative priorities for 2026 include:  

* BOI reporting 

* Credit card swipe fees 

* Lower taxes  

*Affordable health care 

    options 

* Labor mandates 

* Electricity and fuel costs 

* Right to Repair 

* Regulatory reform 

*Stopping  foreign   

      investor  lawsuits 

Health Care Affordabiliy

Health care affordability remains a major challenge for small businesses. The U.S. House of Representatives passed The Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act, or H.R. 6703, which will give small businesses affordable health care options that have been a top problem for decades. 

The bill includes provisions that expand health care options for small business owners and facilitate transparency to Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs). It also allows small businesses to leverage purchasing power and lower costs by joining Association Health Plans (AHPs). This encourages competition and freedom of choice, lowering costs and allowing the flexibility small businesses need to provide health care for their employees.  

NFIB members have consistently ranked the cost of health care as their number one problem in NFIB’s Problems and Priorities Survey every year since 1986. The U.S. House recently passed this bill, so now it goes to the Senate for a vote. 

NFIB’s December jobs report found that 33% (seasonally adjusted) of small business owners reported job openings they could not fill   in December,  unchanged from November. Unfilled job openings remain above the historical average of 24%. Twenty-eight percent have openings for skilled workers (up 2 points), and 10% have openings for unskilled labor (down 2 points). 

Employment Conditions

“The economic climate continues to support the small business labor market,” said Chief EconomistBill Dunkelberg.  “Although employment conditions vary, fewer owners report labor as their biggest challenge while compensation pressures are escalating.” 

A seasonally adjusted net 17% of owners plan to create new jobs in the next three months,  down  2 points  from November. 

Overall, 53% of owners reported hiring or trying to hire in December, down 3 points from November. Forty-eight percent of owners (91% of those hiring or trying to hire) reported few or no qualified applicants for the positions they were trying to fill (down 2 points). Twenty-five percent reported few qualified applicants (down 5 points), and 23% reported none (up 3 points). 

In December, 19% of small business owners cited labor quality as their single most important problem, down 2 points from November. Labor costs, reported as the single most important problem by small business owners, rose 1 point to 9%. 

Seasonally adjusted, a net 31% of small business owners reported raising compensation in December, up 5 points from November. A net 24% (seasonally adjusted) plan to raise compensation in the next three months, unchanged from November.