A record-setting group of 170 business and professional events industry leaders and advocates from 30 US states met with 130 elected officials on Capitol Hill, 29 May, as part of the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance’s (ECA) annual Legislative Action Day.
“What happens in Washington, DC is critical to the competitiveness of our industry going forward,” said Hervé Sedky, Emerald Holding Inc. president, CEO, and chair of the ECA board of directors. “That’s why it was great to see the largest Legislative Action Day crowd ever on Capitol Hill carrying the industry’s message forward to the members of Congress who can drive change on our behalf.”
This year’s Legislative Action Day focused on two of ECA’s top public policy priorities: taxes and talent. On 22 May the House of Representatives voted to maintain several ECA-supported tax policies while creating two new pathways to help attract and train the industry’s next-generation workforce.
“Last week’s vote demonstrates the importance of ‘all-in’ advocacy on behalf of our great industry,” said Vinnie Polito, Society of Independent Show Organisers CEO and ECA co-president. “Today [29 May] was our collective opportunity to tell Congress to keep the momentum going so that we continue to drive economic growth, support job creation, and empower small businesses for many years to come.”
Legislative Action Day also provided an opportunity for attendees to share their stories about the impact of ongoing tariff-related uncertainty on the business events industry.
ECA has opportunities for people from across the industry to get involved in the lobbying process and advocacy throughout the year through the ECA Advocacy Network, the alliance’s one-stop digital advocacy platform.
“When the industry advocates with one voice, we can have an outsized impact on the policymaking process,” said Tommy Goodwin, ECA’s executive vice-president.
Next year, Legislative Action Day will return to Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on 28 May, 2026.
ECA’s Legislative Action Day industry partners are: Freeman, Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, Lippman Connects, CustomReg, CORT Events, The Expo Group, CNTV, The Venetian Las Vegas, Reduce2, Encore, Hargrove from Encore, MGM Resorts International, and Home & Garden Show Executives International.
Source: www.exhibitionworld.co.uk
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