SMALL BUSINESS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP COUNCIL (SBE COUNCIL)

Tax Relief and Reform Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017: Expressed support for extending/making permanent expiring provisions of the TCJA, including: individual tax rates, 20% small business deduction, restoring immediate R&D expensing, and 100% bonus depreciation. Continue to express opposition to raising taxes on small businesses, C-corps and individual taxpayers, carried interest, capital gains and tax increases that would undermine investment and capital availability. Main Street Tax Certainty Act of 2025: Support House and Senate legislation to make permanent the 20% deduction for small- and family-owned businesses (Section 199A). American Innovation and Jobs Act of 2025: Support legislation in the House and Senate to restore immediate R&D expensing. Death Tax Repeal Act of 2025: Support House and Senate legislation to fully repeal the death tax. U.S. Budget Resolution and the Framework for Tax Permanency: Supported House and Senate passage of the budget resolution, the Full Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, and Senate Amendment to H.Con.Res. 14, Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2025 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2026 through 2034. Access to Capital Accredited Investor Definition: Expressed support for efforts in the Congress to modernize the standard. U.S. House Financial Services Request for Comments on Access to Capital Proposals: Provided comments and support for legislative initiatives in the U.S. House to boost capital formation and access for entrepreneurs and small businesses, including: Fair Investment Opportunities for Professional Experts Act, Investment Opportunity Expansion Act, Accredited Investor Definition Review Act, Encouraging Public Offerings Act of 2025, Improving Disclosures for Investors Act of 2025, Unlocking Capital for Small Businesses Act of 2025, Middle Market IPO Underwriting Cost Act, Helping Angels Lead Our Startups (HALOS) Act of 2025, Helping Startups Continue to Grow Act, Small Entrepreneurs Empowerment and Development (SEED) Act of 2025, Risk Disclosure and Investor Attestation Act, Regulation A+ Improvement Act of 2025, Improving Crowdfunding Opportunities Act, and the Amendment for Crowdfunding Capital Enhancement and Small-business Support (ACCESS) Act of 2025. Small Business Technological Advancement Act (SBTAA): Support the Senate legislation. Regulation and Regulatory Reform Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Filing Mandate: Continued to express support for the Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act to repeal the BOI reporting mandate. Advocated and expressed support for the U.S. Treasury Department to extend the deadline for filing, to scale back or exempt U.S. businesses from filing the report, and to not unduly penalize small businesses that were not aware of mandate. Support announced efforts by the U.S. Treasury and Interim Final Rule to apply the mandate to foreign businesses only. Privacy Framework: Continue to support a federal framework governing privacy rules for the United States. Congressional Review Act (CRA) Resolutions: H.J. Res 42: Supported the resolution of disapproval of Department of Energy rule relating to Energy Conservation Program for Appliance Standards: Certification Requirements, Labeling Requirements, and Enforcement Provisions for Certain Consumer Products and Commercial Equipment. IRSs DeFi Rule and H.J. Res. 25: Supported the House and Senate resolution to invalidate the Internal Revenue Services (IRSs) Gross Proceeds Reporting by Brokers That Regularly Provide Services Effectuating Digital Asset Sales rule. CFPB and S.J.Res.28: Supported House and Senate passage of the resolution to nullify the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) rule - Defining Larger Participants of a Market for General-Use Digital Consumer Payment Applications. CFPB and S.J. RES. 18: Supported House and Senate passage of the resolution to nullify the CFPB rule - Disapproving the rule submitted by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection relating to Overdraft Lending: Very Large Financial Institutions DOE and H.J. Res 24: Support the resolution to nullify the Department of Energys (DOEs) energy conservation standards for walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers. DOE and H.J. Res. 75: Support the resolution to repeal the Department of Energys (DOEs) energy conservation standards for commercial refrigerators and freezers. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Pre-Merger Notification Rule: Called for a CRA to overturn the FTC rulemaking. PROVE It Act: Support House and Senate legislation on the PROVE It Act to strengthen regulatory accountability and transparency for small businesses. Modern Worker Empowerment Act: Support this legislation in the House. Modern Worker Security Act: Support this legislation in the House. Faster Labor Contracts Act, S. 844: Oppose this Senate legislation. Midnight Rules Relief Act: Supported House passage. OSHA Heat Rule: Filed joint comments on OSHAs Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings Proposed Rule, and urged the agency to withdraw the proposed rule. CMS Rule on GLP-1s: Supported the rule (CMS-4208-P) being proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). AI Action Plan: Submitted comments to the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) National Coordination Office (NCO) at the National Science Foundation (NSF), on behalf of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) on the importance of formulating a national artificial intelligence (AI) Action Plan. Trade Policy and Global Markets Special 301 Report: Urged Congress to review and take action on the Trade Representatives (USTR) consistent failure to leverage the Special 301 Report to hold foreign intellectual property thieves accountable. Digital Trade: Urged USTR Jamieson Greer to embrace a course of action on digital trade rules that would advance U.S. leadership and support American economic strength. Affordable Health Coverage Health Savings Accounts (HSAs): Support efforts in the House and Senate to expand and improve the accounts. Telehealth and HSAs: Urged both the House and Senate to make permanent the telehealth provision that provides employers the flexibility to offer their employees with a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) paired with a Health Savings Account (HSA) access to telehealth services pre-deductible. IP Rights and Protections Expressed concerns about a slate of bills being considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee including: S. 1040, a bill to amend the Federal Trade Commission Act to prohibit product hopping; S. 1041, a bill to amend Title 35 of the U.S. Code to address infringement of patents that claim biological products; S. 1097, the Interagency Patent Coordination and Improvement Act of 2025; and S. 1096, the Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act. USPTO Comments on WIPO Treaty: Expressed concern about the treatys mandatory patent disclosure requirements (PDRs) and their harm to the small businesses and startups that are the backbone of American innovation and economic growth. The RESTORE Patent Rights Act: Support House and Senate legislation. Trump Administration Nominations - Leadership Votes Kelly Loeffler, SBA Administration: Supported the nomination and confirmation of Ms. Loffler. Dr. Casey Mulligans Chief Counsel for Advocacy at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA): Supported the nomination and confirmation of Dr. Mulligan. Former U.S. Billy Long for IRS Commissioner: Support the nomination and confirmation of Mr. Long. Paul Atkins as Chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): Supported the nomination and confirmation of Mr. Atkins. Mike Johnson for Speaker: Supported. Presidential Executive Orders and Memorandums MAKING AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN BY EMPOWERING PATIENTS WITH CLEAR, ACCURATE, AND ACTIONABLE HEALTHCARE PRICING INFORMATION: SBE Council issued supportive statements on the Executive Order. National Energy Dominance Council EO: Issued supportive statements on the EO. Establishing the United States Investment Accelerator EO: Issued a supportive statement on the EO. Defending Americas Innovators Memorandum: Issued supportive statements on aspects of the memorandum. Government Accountability H.R. 1156, the Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act: Supported this bill to extend the statute of limitations for prosecuting and recouping stolen COVID-19 unemployment insurance (UI) funds.