A record-setting group of 226 business and professional events industry leaders and advocates travelled to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., as part of the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance’s annual Legislative Action Day, 28 May.
Participants came from across the United States and around the world to meet with members of Congress about how they can strengthen the business and professional events industry’s ability to create new jobs, reduce economic uncertainty, safeguard affordability for businesses and their clients.
The message delivered to the politicians was that the events industry is a proven engine of economic resilience and growth, and it needs a policy environment to match.
“ECA Legislative Action Day is a powerful reminder of what makes our industry so special,” said Fernando Fischer, president, Americas for RX and chair of the ECA Board of Directors. “Business and professional events bring people together, strengthen small businesses, support jobs, and help communities grow. By showing up on Capitol Hill in record numbers, we ensured that our elected officials understand both the impact of our events and the policy choices that will help shape them going forward.”
Legislative Action Day focused on three issues from ECA’s 2026 public policy agenda critical to the future of US trade shows, conferences, meetings, conventions, and other business and professional events: trade and tariffs, future workforce development, and the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) – all central to the industry’s ability to continue serving as a growth engine for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and communities nationwide.
“In just a few years, ECA Legislative Action Day has become the advocacy event for our industry,” said Mark Bogdansky, vice-president, trade shows and community engagement for the Auto Care Association and vice-chair of the ECA Board of Directors.
“With a who’s who of industry leaders on Capitol Hill today, we sent a clear message: the business and professional events industry is engaged, organised, and ready to work constructively with policymakers to support economic growth, job creation, and American competitiveness.”
Beyond Legislative Action Day, ECA provides opportunities for industry leaders and advocates to make their voices heard throughout the year through the ECA Advocacy Network, its one-stop policy engagement platform.
“Today proved that everyone in our industry can take action,” said Chris Griffin, president and CEO of Crew XP and treasurer of the ECA Board of Directors. “Whether meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, contacting Congress from home, or hosting elected officials on the show floor, the more we all get involved, the greater impact we can have.”
ECA is a coalition of leading associations comprising the unified public policy voice of the US business and professional events industry.
