#United States #Dallas #Small Business #Healthcare Costs #National Write Your Congressman

Overview

In its recently published Q2 2026 Index, the National Write Your Congressman (NWYC) has shed light on urgent issues that small business owners want Congress to address. Gathering insights from small company leaders across the U.S., the Index reveals their pressing concerns about government spending, healthcare expenses, and various regulations affecting their operations.

Key Findings

The report emphasized that government spending is of paramount importance to small business owners, with the sentiment reshaping how they view their long-term economic outlook. Additional key issues identified include healthcare costs, immigration reforms, and the need for regulatory relief to ease compliance burdens. Randy Ford, the President and COO of NWYC, expressed that small business owners continue to anticipate tangible actions regarding lower health insurance costs and tax certainty amidst inflationary pressures and labor shortages.

Ford elaborates, "This quarter's Index shows that small business owners are still waiting for follow-through on lower health insurance and business insurance costs, tax certainty, relief from inflation, and help finding qualified workers. Spending remains their primary concern for Congress, and until they see genuine progress, their faith in Washington is likely to wane, even if they are optimistic about their own businesses."

Business Conditions and Economic Outlook

Despite the multitude of challenges, business performance remains relatively stable, with 50% of the respondents reporting flat performance, while 29.6% experienced growth, and 19.6% noted a decline. David Balistreri, owner of Select Technical Staffing in Wisconsin, shared a positive outlook, revealing that his contract sales surged by 35% compared to last year, which was already a record year.

While perceptions of the U.S. economy are mixed, 46% of owners view it as "good," nearly 40% label it as "fair," and only a small fraction rates it as "excellent." Bill Willis, owner of Dyno One, Inc., emphasized, "A pro-business attitude by government has materially benefitted our revenues, driving capital investments within our customer base."

Trust in Congress

Sentiment towards Congress remains concerningly low, with 39% of business owners expressing strong distrust towards congressional actions. Only 13% claim to trust Congress, and a significant 43% are very dissatisfied with its performance. Nonetheless, there is willingness for engagement; 69% of respondents indicated they are likely to contact their Congressional representatives regarding significant issues in the next twelve months.

Luke Moerke, President of Exodus Engineering in Washington, voiced a common concern among his peers, stating, "I hope that Congress will take steps to reduce government spending and cut taxes, as these issues heavily influence my bottom line."

Methodology

The data for the Q2 2026 Index was collected from a wide-ranging survey of 518 small business owners across 45 states from June 23 to July 15, 2026. The majority of respondents, 56%, employ between one to nine employees, and a significant 77% have fewer than 20 employees. The industries represented cover a broad spectrum, including construction, services, and agriculture, reflecting the diverse landscape of small businesses in America.

About NWYC

Established in 1958, the National Write Your Congressman organization has been pivotal in empowering small businesses, providing them with nonpartisan information and research to facilitate communication with their congressional representatives. As the largest nonpartisan membership organization for small businesses, NWYC ensures that its members gain valuable insights into critical issues and pending legislation that may affect their operations. The organization prides itself on presenting both sides of various issues to enable members to form well-educated opinions to share with their elected officials. For further details, visit www.nwyc.com.