Shaping Policy

Shaping Policy 

In a year defined by mounting complexity and new leadership in Washington, the Chamber helped shape outcomes that strengthened the economy, protected free enterprise, and expanded opportunities for workers and businesses of all sizes. Our impact this year underscores a simple truth: when the environment becomes more challenging, the Chamber becomes even more essential. 

Delivered permanent, pro-growth tax reform 

• The Chamber executed an 18-month, whole-of-Chamber advocacy campaign to secure passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, making pro-growth tax reforms permanent and preventing a $4.5 trillion tax hike.   
• Led a coalition of 500+ business groups spanning all 50 states urging Congress to adopt a current-policy baseline to deliver permanent tax relief.
• Hosted 80 in-district tax roundtables with lawmakers and local business owners to highlight the benefits of pro-growth tax policy. [MAP GRAPHIC]
• Convened senior congressional tax writers and industry leaders at the Tax Policy Summit. [PIC]
• Commissioned public opinion research showing widespread voter support for making tax relief permanent. 
• Shaped the public debate through targeted ad campaigns, op-eds, and thought leadership. [HEADLINE SCREENSHOT] 

Reversed harmful regulatory overreach  

• Advanced regulatory reform, a key priority for the American business community, resulting in a reduction of over $70 billion in regulatory costs so far this year, and 16 overturned regulations under the Congressional Review Act. [PIC FROM REGULATORY ROUNDTABLE WITH NEIL FROM SOAB]
• Successfully halted the Credit Card Late Fee Rule, FTC Non-Compete Rule, Joint Employer Rule, and SEC’s Climate Disclosure Rule through decisive litigation efforts. 

Led a multi-pronged strategy to push back forcefully against tariffs that have threatened small businesses and our global competitiveness. 

• Amplified voices of small businesses affected by tariffs, sharing real-world stories of harm to influence policymakers and the administration. [GRAPHIC PULL OUT QUOTE FROM SMALL BUSINESS IMPACT]
• Filed an amicus brief in one of the cases challenging the President’s authority to impose broad tariffs under IEEPA.   
• Advocated tariff exemptions for small businesses, for products not made or grown in the U.S., and for companies who have no choice but to lay off American workers.
• Urged policymakers to reclaim their constitutional role in setting tariffs by lobbying in support of the Trade Review Act. 

Enhanced an agenda of economic opportunity 

• Immigration: Filed a legal challenge to the administration’s $100,000 fee on H-1B visa petitions, which would make it cost-prohibitive for U.S. employers, especially start-ups and small and midsize businesses, to utilize the program to meet their workforce needs.  
• Healthcare: Established three new Health Policy Pillars on Employee Health, Consumer Health, and Emerging Health to advance healthcare innovation, improve access, and reduce administrative burdens. Successfully influenced lawmakers to exclude the Most-Favored Nation reference pricing from the reconciliation bill, safeguarding innovation and patient access to life-saving medicines.
• Housing: Launched a new housing initiative with the inaugural Housing Summit, which convened industry and government leaders to discuss challenges and share solutions to making home ownership more attainable for American families. The Chamber released a new housing playbook, which outlines solutions for increasing housing supply across the country. [PHOTO FROM HOUSING SUMMIT]
• Childcare: Championed critical reforms to make childcare more accessible and affordable through the enhancement of three programs, including the Employer-Provided Child Care Credit, the Dependent Care Assistance Program, and the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit. 
• Permitting Reform: Rallied more than 500 business organizations from all 50 states in support of streamlined permitting regulations to promote a more efficient federal permitting process for critical energy and other infrastructure projects.   
• Infrastructure: Ahead of the expiration of the infrastructure bill in 2026, launched the Move America Coalition a broad alliance of more than 20 national organizations committed to securing timely reauthorization of federal surface transportation programs and advancing long-term investment in America’s infrastructure.   

Influenced key debates on Capitol Hill 

• Intensified pressure on lawmakers to end the longest government shutdown in history by elevating small business impact stories and revealing new state-by-state data showing 65,000 small business contractors would lose $12 billion in October.
• Eight issue experts from the U.S. Chamber testified before Congressional Committees nine times this year to shape public policy, on topics ranging from AI to veteran hiring. [C-SPAN SCREENSHOT]
• The Chamber team had over 1,500 congressional touchpoints throughout the year and 434 meetings with members of Congress to advance our pro-growth policy agenda.   

Shaped legal precedent in the courts  

• The Litigation Center fought for business at every level of the U.S. judicial system on virtually every issue—from labor and employment to financial regulation and free speech.
• Filed three new lawsuits against three federal agencies and one state. 
• Maintained an 83% win rate in final litigation outcomes.
• Filed 220 amicus briefs and received 570 requests for amicus filings. 
• Secured 12 wins for business and won 12 bounties in the most recent Supreme Court term, with briefs discussed in six Supreme Court oral arguments and six Supreme Court opinions.
• Held 23 moot courts, allowing business advocates to strengthen their arguments before panels with a balanced range of perspectives.