Why It Matters

The National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) represents self-employed Americans and micro-business owners, a constituency that's navigating significant shifts in tax and health care policy. The expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies at the end of 2025 created an affordability crisis for self-employed individuals relying on marketplace coverage.

Simultaneously, Congress has advanced legislation to expand Association Health Plans, allowing self-employed workers to pool together for large-group insurance rates. On the tax side, major provisions affecting pass-through business income and depreciation remain active legislative priorities. With substantial Congressional activity underway on these issues, NASE has maintained a steady lobbying presence in Washington.

NASE filed its first quarter 2026 lobbying disclosure on April 18, 2026 with a notable departure from prior quarters since the filing lists no specific issues lobbied and no legislation. The organization reported $100,000 in lobbying activity for the quarter, consistent with its spending in every quarter of 2025.

By the Numbers

NASE conducts its lobbying entirely in-house through registered lobbyist Katie Wonnenberg. The organization spent $100,000 per quarter throughout 2025, totaling $400,000 for the year. The first quarter 2026 filing brings the cumulative total to $500,000 across five consecutive quarterly filings from first quarter 2025 through first quarter 2026. Wonnenberg serves two clients. In addition to NASE, she represents Etsy Inc., for which she filed four disclosures in 2025 totaling $180,000. Her combined lobbying activity across both clients from April 2024 through April 2026 totals $680,000.

The first quarter 2026 filing is a single disclosure for the quarter. The fourth quarter 2025 filing, by contrast, was labeled "2025 Q4 2," indicating multiple filings were submitted for that quarter.

The Agenda

The first quarter 2026 filing contains no specific issues lobbied and no legislation listed, a marked shift from the four prior quarterly filings, each of which detailed specific lobbying topics. Prior filings show a consistent focus on:

  • Tax policy: First quarter 1 2025 and second quarter 2025 filings cited budget reconciliation issues, support for Tax Cuts and Jobs Act-related bills, and monitoring of tax features in reconciliation legislation.
  • IRS modernization: Listed as a lobbying topic in every quarter of 2025.
  • Appropriations: The third quarter 2025 and fourth quarter 2025 filings cited support for H.R. 5371, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2025.
  • Trade: Both third quarter 2025 and fourth quarter 2025 filings listed support for S. 1272, the Trade Review Act of 2025.

Broader Context

Congressional activity on issues central to NASE's constituency has been substantial. Multiple members have issued communications addressing health insurance affordability for self-employed Americans.

In May 2025, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced the Association Health Plans Act of 2025, which would allow self-employed individuals and small business owners to pool together to access large-group health insurance. In December 2025, Rep. Russ Fulcher (R-ID-1) highlighted legislation that would expand Association Health Plans and reduce premiums by as much as 30 percent for self-employed individuals and small businesses.

On the ACA side, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) noted in September 2025 that roughly half of ACA Marketplace enrollees are small business owners, employees, or self-employed, and warned that failure to extend enhanced subsidies would hit that population particularly hard. Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) made similar arguments in October 2025, and Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13) led a coalition of 108 House Democrats urging Speaker Johnson to extend ACA tax credits for the self-employed and small business community.

On the tax side, the House Committee on Small Business held a hearing on April 15, 2026, three days before this filing was signed, titled "Lower Taxes, Stronger Main Street: The Benefits of the Working Families Tax Cuts," examining pass-through deductions, bonus depreciation, and tax relief provisions directly relevant to self-employed Americans.

The Bottom Line

NASE has maintained a consistent $100,000-per-quarter lobbying operation conducted entirely in-house through lobbyist Katie Wonnenberg. The first quarter 2026 filing continues that spending pattern, but breaks from prior quarters by disclosing no specific issues or legislation. The organization's prior lobbying record points to sustained interest in tax policy, IRS modernization, and trade, all areas where significant Congressional activity has occurred during the filing period.