National Federation of Independent Business

Activities and politics

The Federation states it provides advocacy counsel on matters including legislation, taxes and guidance to small business owners on management, operating and marketing. It also provides information on legal issues and health care. It also hosts a podcast on some concerns facing small business.

On its website, the National Federation of Independent Business states that it is a "nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded in 1943". In 2010, 25 of its members, all Republican, were elected to the 112th Congress.

In 2010, the NFIB became the lead plaintiff opposing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act health care reform legislation. The organization joined 26 states in the lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the act. The case reached the Supreme Court, which issued its ruling on National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius on June 28, 2012, upholding most provisions of the act. Karl Rove's conservative Crossroads GPS PAC gave NFIB $3.7 million to help fund the court fight.

The NFIB supported the America's Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2014 (H.R. 4457; 113th Congress), a bill that would amend section 179 of the Internal Revenue Code, which mostly affects small- to medium-sized businesses, to retroactively and permanently extend from January 1, 2014, increased limitations on the amount of investment that can be immediately deducted from taxable income. The bill would return the tax code to its 2013 status and make the change permanent. Dan Danner, the president and CEO at that time, argued that Congress could help small business by passing the bill as it would enable small businesses to "plan for the future, invest in the economy and hire new workers."

In 2017, NFIB endorsed the confirmation of SCOTUS nominee Neil Gorsuch.

In 2021, it successfully sued OSHA to oppose a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for businesses before the Supreme Court, resulting in OSHA withdrawing the mandate.

In fiscal year 2022, NFIB had total revenue of $105,848,770.

In October 2023, the federation reported a slight decline in small business optimism sentiment due to inflation and staffing concerns.

In October 2024, the NFIB, along with the Michigan Press Association, sued to block the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from implementing its so-called "click to cancel" rule, a set of revisions to the FTC's Negative Option Rule that would require businesses to make the cancellation process for subscriptions, renewals, and free trials that convert to paid memberships as easy as the signup process, as well as to obtain proof of consent before billing customers for such services.

The NFIB sued to stop the federal government from enforcing the Corporate Transparency Act's Beneficial ownership rules. The rule would have required foreign and domestic companies to disclose their true owners.

The NFIB filed an amicus brief in Ryan, LLC. v. Federal Trade Commission "supporting a challenge to the FTC’s final rule banning noncompete agreements".

The NFIB filed a Legal Challenge To Overturn 2024 Missouri Proposition A.

Guardian of Small Business Award

NFIB has given out the Guardian of Small Business Award for legislators who vote consistently with small business on the key issues identified by small business owners.

References

References

1. (9 May 2013). "National Federation Of Independent Business Inc - Nonprofit Explorer".
2. "PAC Profile: National Federation of Independent Business".
3. (1 January 2025). "NATIONAL FEDERATION OF INDEPENDENT BUSINESS FEDERAL POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE - committee overview".
4. "National Federation of Independent Business - SourceWatch".
5. "National Fedn of Independent Business Profile: Totals".
6. (10 August 2009). "Health care reform's strange bedfellows". money.cnn.com.
7. (1981). "OSHA, E.P.A.: THE HEYDAY IS OVER". New York Times.
8. (2025-03-05). "Treasury Department won’t enforce beneficial ownership rule under the Corporate Transparency Act".
9. "Could the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Be a Good Resource for You?".
10. (2012). "About NFIB". www.NFIB.com.
11. (2012). "25 NFIB Members Join the 112th Congress". www.NFIB.com.
12. Slack, Donovan. (2012-04-13). "Crossroads GPS gave $3.7 million to plaintiff in health care suit". Politico.com.
13. (May 2014). "CBO - H.R. 4457". Congressional Budget Office.
14. (22 April 2014). "Tiberi Bill on permanent Extension of Small Business Expensing". Tax Foundation.
15. (15 May 2014). "5 ways Washington can help small business". CNBC.
16. "NFIB - The voice of Small Business".
17. [https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/21a244_hgci.pdf SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES Nos. 21A244 and 21A247 NATIONAL FEDERATION OF INDEPENDENT BUSINESS, ET AL., APPLICANTS21A244 v. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, ET AL.]
18. (25 January 2022). "OSHA Withdraws Vaccine Mandate Following Successful Supreme Court Challenge By NFIB".
19. (9 May 2013). "National Federation Of Independent Business Inc - Nonprofit Explorer".
20. (10 October 2023). "US small business sentiment declines moderately -NFIB".
21. Brodkin, Jon. (2024-10-24). "Cable companies ask 5th Circuit to block FTC's click-to-cancel rule".
22. (2024-10-16). "Click to Cancel: The FTC's amended Negative Option Rule and what it means for your business".
23. (6 November 2024). "NFIB Files Lawsuit Against FTC’s Onerous Automatic Renewal Rule - NFIB".
24. (3 December 2024). "NFIB Prevails in Blocking Burdensome Beneficial Ownership Requirements for Small Businesses - NFIB".
25. (15 May 2024). "Small Businesses Take Legal Action Against FTC Ban on Noncompete Agreements - NFIB".
26. (9 December 2024). "Business Groups File Legal Challenge To Overturn Proposition A - NFIB".
27. "NFIB Guardian of Small Business Award - NFIB".
28. "Harper receives the 'Guardian of Small Business award - Magnolia Tribune".