WASHINGTON, DC—A record-setting group of 170 business and professional events industry leaders and advocates from 30 states met with more than 130 elected officials on Capitol Hill today 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, Chief Executive Officer, 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 today 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 May 22, 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 Organizers Chief Executive Officer and ECA Co-President. “Today 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.

While Legislative Action Day has concluded, ECA will continue to advocate on behalf of the industry’s policy priorities in Washington, DC and beyond. In addition, ECA has opportunities for people from across the industry to get involved 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. “There’s no better time than right now for everyone across the industry to get involved on the policy issues that matter, wherever they are, through the ECA Advocacy Network.”

Next year, Legislative Action Day will return to Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on Thursday, May 28, 2026.

ECA would also like to thank its Legislative Action Day industry partners, without whom today’s event would not have been possible: 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.

About the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance:

The Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA) is a coalition of leading professional, industry, and labor associations that comprise the unified advocacy voice of the business events industry. To learn more about ECA and its work to advance the interests of the industry, please visit https://www.exhibitionsconferencesalliance.org/.

For media inquiries or further information, please contact Tommy Goodwin: +1 (703) 672-0780 | tommy.goodwin@exhibitionsconferencesalliance.org.