As the leading voice of the retail industry in Washington, D.C., NRF’s mission centers on advocating for policies that help retailers, our employees and our customers succeed. Building direct connections with members of Congress was a key focus of our advocacy efforts in 2024. NRF facilitated hundreds of direct connections with retailers and members of Congress to share how retail powers economic growth and contributes to vibrant communities across the nation.
Learn more about the retail industry’s award-winning premier advocacy event.
In July, the Retail Advocates Summit brought together policymakers and retailers to celebrate the retail industry’s impact on local communities. The premier advocacy event featured major retail brands, small business owners and technology innovators highlighting retail’s economic contributions and policy priorities.
“I’ve learned so many things,” said Representative Don Davis, D-N.C., of The Retail Experience, an interactive showcase at the event that demonstrated retail’s significant impact on careers, communities and the economy. Attended by over 100 bipartisan members of Congress, it also provided a platform for retailers to discuss critical issues such as tariffs, excessive credit card swipe fees and organized retail crime, and the importance of collaboration to address these challenges.
The third annual Fight Retail Crime Day took place on Oct. 24, uniting the industry for a day of action to call on Congress to support the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act. A key facet of activities involved connecting retailers directly with lawmakers on store tours. Throughout October, over a dozen members of Congress visited retailers and saw firsthand the impact that crime is having on their stores and communities.
“On Fight Retail Crime Day, I stand by law enforcement & businesses in demanding Congress pass my bipartisan bill to fight this crime,” said Rep. Susie Lee, a lead sponsor of the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, who visited Target in the lead-up to the day. Over 150 lawmakers were recognized as Congressional Retail Crime Fighters for their backing of CORCA, with nearly 40 of them expressing their support on social media during Fight Retail Crime Day.
Retailers also pushed for fairness in the credit card market by urging Congress to pass the Credit Card Competition Act. This bill aims to increase competition in the credit card routing market, giving retailers more control over their processing networks. Throughout the year, retailers held hundreds of meetings with members of Congress in Washington, D.C., to explain how this legislation would provide relief from high credit card swipe fees and why it is essential for Congress to act.
One small retailer who has attended multiple meetings is Danny Reynolds, owner of Stephenson’s of Elkhart, a family-owned bridal and women’s boutique in Indiana. “I’ve personally taken time away from my business to fly to D.C. and meet directly with my elected officials on several occasions,” said Reynolds. He encourages all retailers to advocate and share their personal stories. “Whenever I visit Washington, I continually hear from legislators’ staff that they really need to hear more directly from retailers on this issue.”
Our impact is making a difference! Thanks to the dedication of our retail advocates, NRF was recognized as 2024’s most effective trade association in events, media relations and grassroots engagement in an independent survey of policymakers and business leaders. We look forward to continuing this momentum in 2025.
