Thanks to our 100+ SBC attendees, two days of speakers, and countless meaningful conversations on the importance of prioritizing common sense policy for small business, SBC 2023 was a rousing success!
On Feb. 8, SBC attendees participated in NSBA's biennial Townhall, where we discussed the new Session of Congress on Capitol Hill and small business owners' realties of running their business in the current regulatory climate.
The results are in, and these insights will set NSBA's agenda for priority issues for the next two years. Follow NSBA on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook, engage with our content, and check back here as we set the agenda for small business in Washington!
Couldn't make it to SBC 2023?
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These informational handouts are sure to give any small business a hand up in their operations throughout the 118th Session of Congress!
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REVIEW THE PRIORITIES​
Handpicked by our attendees after intensive, technical sessions, where our speakers and Board of Trustees shared their expertise and perspectives on seasoned tenures earned after years of working in the tax, environment and regulatory affairs, health and human resources, and economic development industries, the following are the NSBA's Top 10 Priority Issues our community will pursue to action with Congress for the 118th Session. ​
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Priorities are reselected every two years at the beginning of a new Session of Congress. Thank you to all of this year's attendees and supporters who made SBC 2023 a great success and a great start to providing solutions to the regulatory and financial constraints limiting the success potential of American small businesses.
FROM PRISM GROUP​
Did you know the federal government contracts for just about everything? From technical analysis to toilet paper, if there's a small business offering it, the federal government is interested in considering it, and our friends at PRISM Group know a thing or two about giving small businesses the tools to fight for the contracts they want and deserve! ​
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Review Prism's stellar resources deck, and reach out to NSBA if you'd like to learn more about stepping up your small-business contracting game!
Every two years, NSBA brings together small-business leaders from across the country at the Small Business Congress to discuss and develop a small-business agenda for the upcoming session of Congress. Participants will network with some of America’s most active small-business leaders, discuss and debate key small-business issues and hear from policy insiders on what’s likely to happen in Congress on the top issues facing your small business.
Don’t miss this opportunity to be at the forefront of small-business policy and take an active role in crafting the small-business agenda.
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RECAP | REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT IS NOW CLOSED - SEE YOU IN 2025!
Small Business Congress 2023 | RECAP
Hotel Washington | 515 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C.
Tuesday and Wednesday, February 7 - 8, 2023
2023 AGENDA | ARCHIVE
Registration | 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Meet us at the Hotel Washington: 515 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20004, NSBA's headquarters for SBC 2023 both Tuesday and Wednesday.
Welcome & Opening Ceremony | 9:00 - 9:15
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Issue Panel 1 - Economic Development | 9:15 - 10:30
This session will take an in-depth look at the state of financing for small business, innovation & technology, federal contracting and global trade; and the policies in these areas that should and need to be addressed by Congress.
Issue Panel 2 - Taxation | 10:45 - 11:45
Our tax session will explore the various expiring tax credits and deductions, enhanced IRS enforcement, overall tax burden and complexity, and how lawmakers and regulators can help small business.
Luncheon (Keynotes) | 12:00 - 1:30
During our luncheon, you'll hear from top policymakers on the key issues facing your business, then be part of a fireside chat with NSBA President Todd McCracken and leading journalists on the economics beat to see where we are and where we're going.
Issue Panel 3 - Environment & Regulatory Affairs | 1:45 - 2:45
Our experts will talk big picture issues and help identify targeted solutions for small businesses dealing with burdensome regulations, energy prices & environmental rules.
Issue Panel 4 - Health & Human Resources | 2:45 - 3:45
Next, we'll be rolling up our sleeves to discuss health insurance, retirement, labor issues and worforce to identify the most important steps policymakers can take to make hiring and keeping employees a reality.
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Concurrent Sessions | 4:00 - 5:00
Small Business Growth with Digital Tools | Join us for a fireside chat with Diana Doukas, Public Policy Manager at Meta, about the ways that small businesses leverage digital tools to grow their business, from organic content like Reels, to personalized ads and the metaverse.
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Doing Business with the Federal Government | The federal government is the largest purchaser of goods and services in the world - learn the basics of doing business with the government and the resources available to you to get your foot in the door.
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Reception | 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Work hard, play harder, and don't miss the invaluable opportunity to network with small business leaders and policymakers from coast-to-coast.
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2021
Small Business
Congress
Despite being in the height of the pandemic, NSBA held its biennial Small Business Congress virtually over three weeks in January and February 2021. We hosted six issue-focused sessions which lead up to the final grand forum where we discussed, debated and voted on NSBA’s top issues. Participants heard from Biden Administration officials, Members of Congress, a host of policy experts, and small-business thought leaders about what to expect in the coming months and years, ultimately voting on NSBA’s priorities for the coming two years.
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Taxation
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NSBA kicked off the Congress with a Tax Policy webinar on Feb. 9, 2021, led by Malcolm Prouty, the NSBA Chair for Taxation, featuring Brian Reardon from S Corporation Association and Garrett Watson from the Tax Foundation on the panel. During the webinar, panelists discussed tax reform, including alternatives to the current tax code, such as The Fair Tax; the impact of Covid-19 on the national debt; self-employment tax on health care; and the interstate sales tax.
Capital Access​
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On Feb. 17, Todd McCracken and Marilyn Landis, NSBA’s Past Chair, moderated a webinar on Access to Capital and Economic Development. The panel included Renee Johnson from Public Private Strategies, Sam Graziano from Fundation, and David R. Burton from the Heritage Foundation. Our panelists discussed the importance of improving access to credit for small businesses, SBA lending, the issues surrounding crowdfunding, the importance of small business contracting, and the need to invest in American infrastructure
Regulatory Policy​
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On Feb. 16, Bill Belknap, the NSBA Chair of Environment & Regulatory Affairs moderated the session featuring Thomas Sullivan from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and David R. Burton from the Heritage Foundation. Our panelists discussed OSHA regulations, tort reform, beneficial ownership laws, regulatory reform and paperwork reduction, as well as the issues of growing partisanship and political disfunction and the importance of strengthening the SBA Office of Advocacy.
Labor & Employment
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On Feb. 10, NSBA held a leadership issue discussion webinar on Labor and Employment, moderated by Robert Shea, the NSBA Chair for Health and Human Resources. The panelists, Marc Freedman from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Josh Ulman from Ulman Public Policy, discussed issues, including minimum wage, pension reform, fair union elections, paid family leave, immigration reform, flexible scheduling, and trained workforce.
Health Care​
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On Feb. 11, NSBA’s leadership turned to Health Care, led by policy expert Gary Kushner, NSBA’s Past Chair. During the roundtable discussion, participants heard from Tom Wildsmith from Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and Dan Jones from Alliance of Community Health Plans. Our experts discussed a variety of health care issues affecting the small business community, including medical liability reform, and the rising costs of healthcare.
Technology & Trade​
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On Feb. 18, NSBA discussed Trade and Technology in a webinar moderated by Marilyn Wilson Lund, NSBA’s Chair of Economic Development. Diana Doukas from Facebook and Karen Kerrigan from the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council discussed the issues of cybersecurity and financial protection, the need for national data privacy regulation, and the importance of net neutrality. The session also touched in the importance of strengthening federal innovation programs and the benefits of free trade agreements.
The Small Business Congress culminated in a final event on Feb. 23, 2021, with the goal of coming together to collaborate on ideas in order to inform legislators and policy makers on the realities of the small business experience.