National Write Your Congressman

: H.R.8914, the No Taxpayer-Funded Settlement Slush Funds Act

Congress is debating a $1.8 billion DOJ settlement fund, and small business owners should be paying attention.

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) introduced H.R.8914, the No Taxpayer-Funded Settlement Slush Funds Act, which would block the fund created through the Trump v. IRS settlement. The bill would also restrict settlement payments to senior officials, political appointees, and their family members, and require the Treasury to notify Congress before disbursing large payments.

Opponents say the fund bypasses Congress's exclusive power of the purse, lacks transparency, and could reward political allies. Supporters argue it is needed to compensate Americans who experienced government overreach and to deter future abuses of power.

Where do you stand? Should Congress control how this money is spent? Tell Congress what you think. Know and via NWYC: https://bit.ly/4vdDrtL

Congress shut down the federal government twice in the past two years, more than 100 days combined. Small businesses waiting on SBA loans, federal contracts, and permits felt every one of them.

A bipartisan bill from Senator James Lankford (R-OK) and Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) would permanently end shutdowns. If Congress misses a budget deadline, funding auto-extends 14 days at a time, and lawmakers lose recess and travel privileges until the job is done.

Critics warn it could make short-term extensions the permanent default, weakening Congress's power of the purse.

Does budget certainty matter to your business? Learn more via Fox News: https://fxn.ws/4wOZokg

Starting July 4, eligible small businesses can access up to $10 million in combined SBA financing, double the previous cap.

The new rule decouples 7(a) and 504 loans, letting businesses stack up to $5M from each. Capital-intensive businesses in construction, manufacturing, logistics, and food production stand to benefit most.

Would expanded SBA financing change your growth plans?
Read the full announcement via the U.S. Small Business Administration: https://bit.ly/4fL1Y4G

Small businesses are not waiting for the trade landscape to settle; they are taking action.

The 2026 FedEx Small Business Trade Index found that 44% of small businesses are holding more inventory, 4 in 10 are diversifying suppliers, and more than a third are exploring options for nearshoring or reshoring. Nearly half plan additional changes in the next year. And 86% still say trade is key to U.S. economic growth. Read the full index: https://bit.ly/42U5DFT

What steps is your business taking to adapt? Share in the comments.

Tell your lawmakers that small business resilience depends on stable trade policy.

Today, and every day, we remember the Americans who gave their lives in service to this country.

To every Gold Star family, veteran, and citizen carrying the memory of someone lost in service: thank you, and we remember with you.

The headline numbers look fine: the economy is growing, and unemployment is 4.2%. But the hiring rate has dropped to levels not seen outside of a recession, and recent grads are bearing the brunt.

Unemployment for the 22 to 27 cohort hit 5.6% late last year, nearly half are underemployed, and the overall hiring rate has fallen to a level last seen after the 2008 crash. Most of the coverage centers on the big employers cutting back: Amazon, Oracle, Meta, and PayPal.

Are small business owners looking for qualified graduates? How is your business doing right now, and are you hiring? What is making it easier or harder to take a chance on someone early in their career this year?

If small businesses are the ones quietly absorbing this class, that's a story worth telling. More via the Washington Post:
https://wapo.st/3RP9kdy

We are proud to support Carry The Load and their mission to provide active ways to honor and remember our nation’s heroes by connecting Americans to the sacrifices made by our military, veterans, first responders, and their families.

If you are in the Dallas area, we encourage you to take part in the Dallas Memorial March on May 24-25 or consider making a donation to support their important work. Click here to find an event near you: https://bit.ly/4uuwoNs

As the midterm campaign season closes in, Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill are quietly racing to pass a list of bipartisan bills before Memorial Day. On the table: housing affordability, federal energy permitting reform, an AI regulatory framework, digital asset rules, reauthorization of the Great American Outdoors Act, and a bill to boost American manufacturing.

Each of those bills affects small business owners and the families on Main Street. Lawmakers in both parties say they want to deliver wins and push back on a "Congress is broken" narrative ahead of November. Learn more via POLITICO.

That is exactly when constituent voices matter most. Right now, before politics swallows the policy, your message to Congress carries more weight than usual.

Tell your Representative and Senators to keep the bipartisan momentum going. Make your voice heard at nwyc.com.

Republicans and Democrats are in dealmaking mode as time runs out for legislative action Lawmakers say they’re ready to put partisan bickering aside and move some bipartisan bills before midterm campaigning gets into full swing.