The RV Industry Association’s recent RVs Move America Week 2023 was a resounding success, with several legislative impacts resulting from the event’s advocacy day in Washington D.C. More than 120 Association members participated in 111 meetings with federal policymakers on Capitol Hill, sharing the industry’s significant economic impact and advocating for solutions to industry pain points. Legislative support on these key issues to the RV industry continues to grow as a direct result of the advocacy efforts at this year’s RVs Move America Week, the RVIA reports.
Supporting the Travel Trailer and Camper Tax Parity Act. Shortly before Advocacy Day, Rep. Rudy Yakym (R-Indiana-2) and Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nevada-1) introduced the Travel Trailer and Camper Tax Parity Act. This bill would resolve an error in the federal tax code’s definition of “motor vehicle,” which currently inequitably impacts the towable segment of the RV industry. As a result of Advocacy Day, more cosponsors have been added to the bill.
Introducing RV industry advocates. Advocates are crucial to the continued success of RVs Move America Week. A highlight of this year’s Advocacy Day was the association’s members’ willingness to make an impact on Capitol Hill with more than one-third of our advocates participating for the first time. Support from advocates, both new and experienced, allows the RV industry to make steady progress on legislative priorities and have an even stronger showing of support on the Hill during advocacy day – and year-round.
Building strong relationships with the current administration. Association members continued to forge positive relationships with the current administration through several avenues. These include meetings with the United States Forest Service to discuss campground modernization as well as meetings with the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to discuss the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) and lauan. This led to a positive finding by the USTR on their ability to waive thresholds as related to the GSP program. In addition, RVs Move America Week participants heard from the Department of the Interior’s Assistant Secretary, Shannon Estenoz, on outdoor recreation.
Continuing to spread the word on the economic impact of the industry. RVs Move America Week was an opportunity for advocates to share the RV industry’s incredible economic impact. The RV industry has an overall annual economic impact to the U.S. economy of $140 billion, supporting nearly 680,000 jobs and paying more than $48 billion in wages. In addition to the economic impact, the RV industry pays $13.6 billion in federal, state and local taxes. These taxes fund roads, bridges, education, parks and recreation areas. Advocates were able to share the specific impact of the RV industry in each state and Congressional district members met with. Opening meetings with this direct impact to the member of Congress is a great way to show the impact the industry has with the policymaker’s constituents.
Displaying the next generation of e-RV technology. During Advocacy Day, Airstream’s eStream and Winnebago’s eRV2 were displayed on Capitol Hill for members of Congress and their staff. This was a great opportunity for policymakers to learn more about the RV industry and its latest technological advancements and see firsthand why the RV industry cannot be left out of the conversation around electric vehicle infrastructure.