As the 119th Congress kicks off, the RV Industry Association (RVIA)’s Government Affairs team is hitting the ground running with a robust federal legislative agenda for 2025.
The agenda focuses on strengthening the RV industry, promoting outdoor recreation and ensuring the continued growth of the RV community.
Key priorities for 2025:
- Leveling the Playing Field
The team continues its fight for the passage of the Travel Trailer and Camper Tax Parity Act. This legislation addresses an unfair tax code provision that unfairly limits interest deductions on towable RVs (which make up 85% of the market) to only 30% of interest expenses, while floor plan financing interest charges on motorhomes remain fully deductible.
In previous sessions of Congress, Representatives Rudy Yakym and Dina Titus have introduced legislation in the House, while Senators Joni Ernst and Angus King introduced a bill in the Senate. These bills aim to amend the deductibility provisions, ensuring that towable RVs receive equitable treatment in financing. As Congress moves to extend the tax cuts in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the RV Industry Association team is putting on a full court press to ensure this needed fix is included in tax legislation.
- Strengthening Industry Relationships
To achieve our legislative goals the team will forge new and strengthen existing relationships within the incoming Trump administration and Congress. The bipartisan RV Caucus, co-chaired by Representatives Rudy Yakym (R-IN-02) and Dina Titus (D-NV-01), will be a key platform for raising awareness of industry issues and expanding support for RV-friendly legislation. The team will also utilize coalitions like the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, Alliance for Automotive Innovation, and National Association of Manufacturers to accomplish our priorities.
- Restoring Trade Benefits
Advocating for the retroactive reauthorization of the Generalized System of Preferences, the team aims to recoup millions in duties paid by the RV industry since the program’s lapse in 2020. This lapse has cost the industry an estimated $1.5 million in duties each month, particularly impacting the availability of essential materials like Indonesian lauan, a type of plywood crucial to RV manufacturing that has no domestic substitute.
- Combating Unfair Trade Practices
The team is pressing Congress to close the “de minimis” loophole, which allows foreign companies, primarily from China, to bypass regulations and flood the U.S. market with low-quality goods, undercutting American businesses and potentially compromising safety standards. This loophole, specifically Section 321 of the de minimis entry law, allows these companies to avoid tariffs, intellectual property rights enforcement, and safety standards, giving them a disproportionate advantage in the market.
- Navigating Regulations and Tariffs
The team remains vigilant in monitoring federal regulations and tariff policies, providing guidance and support to RV Industry Association members to ensure compliance and minimize any negative impacts on their businesses.
- Protecting and Restoring Public Lands for RVers
The team is championing the reauthorization of the Great American Outdoors Act, a vital piece of legislation set to expire this year. This Act, originally signed into law in 2020, represents the largest investment in public lands in nearly a century. It provides crucial funding (up to $9.5 billion) for infrastructure improvements within the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and other federal agencies, ensuring access for RVers and outdoor enthusiasts for generations to come.
- Amplifying Industry Voices
Advocacy Day, a cornerstone of RVs Move America Week 2025 in June, will bring RV industry members to Washington D.C. to engage directly with lawmakers and staff, sharing their stories and advocating for policies that support the RV industry and its contributions to the American economy.
The Government Affairs team will announce its state legislative priorities later this month, further demonstrating its commitment to representing the RV industry at all levels of government.
By actively engaging with policymakers and advocating for the needs of the RV industry, the Government Affairs team plays a critical role in ensuring a thriving future for RV businesses and enthusiasts alike.
