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In one of the hardest economies of their careers, Pennsylvania small business owners show the new Congress where it hurts

In a survey of Pennsylvania small business owners, 77% say rising costs have hurt their ability to operate or grow, 89% say energy costs have hurt their business and 80% of employers worry rising health insurance costs will make it harder to hire

Nov. 12, 2026—As a new Congress prepares to take office, a new Small Business for America's Future survey of 124 Pennsylvania small business owners shows where Main Street is feeling the strain. Owners describe one of the hardest economies of their careers, and many of the pressures they name are areas where federal policy plays a direct role: inflation, energy prices, tariffs, healthcare costs, the conflict in the Middle East and immigration enforcement.

Seventy-four percent rank this among the hardest economies of their careers, and most of them compare it to the COVID-19 pandemic (50%) or the Great Recession (30%). Nearly a third (31%) call it the hardest they have ever experienced. Eighty percent are concerned about their business's financial health over the next 12 months.

"Heating our factory runs $4,000 to $6,000 a month in oil, and I'm expecting that bill to jump 30% to 40% this winter, so energy is one of my biggest concerns," said Walt Rowen, co-chair of Small Business for America's Future and president of Susquehanna Glass Co., a 116-year-old family-owned glass manufacturer in Columbia, Pennsylvania. "But small business owners are dealing with a lot more than energy right now: prices that keep climbing, tariffs, health insurance premiums and customers who are spending less. It all comes down to whether we can afford to keep running our businesses, and this survey shows exactly where that's breaking down for Main Street. That's the agenda waiting for the new Congress."

Costs are rising from every direction for Pennsylvania small businesses:

• Inflation: Among the 69% who say running their business is harder than a year ago, 88% name inflation and rising prices as a reason.
• Energy: 89% say energy costs have hurt their business, and among them, 41% saw those costs rise 20% or more. Seventy-two percent are concerned growing electricity demand from AI data centers could raise their electricity costs.
• Healthcare: 57% report higher healthcare and insurance costs, and 80% of owners with employees are concerned rising premiums will make it harder to hire and keep workers.
• Tariffs: 52% say tariffs have made day-to-day costs harder to afford, and among them, 57% have accepted lower profit margins rather than raise prices.
• Customers: 75% have seen customers spend less, delay purchases or trade down, and 83% of them blame inflation.

Owners also say decisions in Washington add to the strain:

• The Middle East conflict: 69% are concerned U.S. military action in the Middle East could raise their costs.
• Immigration enforcement: 52% say federal immigration enforcement has hurt small businesses, while just 16% say the impact has been positive. Nearly 1 in 4 (23%) have seen workers stop showing up or leave jobs out of fear of enforcement.
• Washington's priorities: Before the election, 75% said Washington put large corporations first on decisions that affect the cost of doing business, and just 2% said small businesses came first. Sixty-seven percent said making it affordable to run a small business was a low priority in Washington or not a priority at all.

Owners are paying the price personally, and growth is on hold

• 62% have cut or skipped their own pay in the past year, including 45% who have done it multiple times.
• 49% say their business no longer covers their living expenses the way it used to, and 58% say their personal debt has increased.
• 23% have considered closing or selling their business.
• Because of federal policy uncertainty, 70% have delayed, canceled or scaled back investments in equipment, facilities or technology, 62% have done the same with expansion and 52% with hiring.

"Small businesses employ nearly half of America's private-sector workers, and we're in every community in this country," Rowen said. "We're the backbone of this economy, and we've been hurting. If the new Congress wants this economy to reach its full potential, it should start by making it affordable to run a small business, so we can hire, grow and thrive. That's an economy that works for everyone."

To request an interview with Small Business for America's Future leadership or a small business owner in Pennsylvania, contact Becker Kaufman at becker@emccommunications.com or 703-728-0135.

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About Small Business for America's Future

Small Business for America's Future is a national coalition of business owners and leaders working to provide small businesses a voice at every level of government. We're committed to ensuring policymakers prioritize Main Street by advancing a just and equitable economic framework that works for small business owners, their employees and their communities. For more information, visit www.smallbusinessforamericasfuture.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. #SmallBizAF.