DSA Takes 105 Delegates to Capitol Hill to Push Worker Classification Bill

A delegation drawn from 26 states

The Direct Selling Association (DSA) held its annual advocacy event, Direct Selling Day on Capitol Hill, in Washington, convening 105 participants who represented 15 companies, 26 states and 59 congressional districts.

The majority of the delegation came from the field rather than the corporate side: 87 of the 105 attendees were independent direct sellers. In their meetings with legislators, they explained why they had chosen direct selling over traditional employment.

Beyond the legislative ask, lawmakers were invited to join the bipartisan Congressional Direct Selling Caucus, which offers members a route to meet direct sellers who live and work in their own districts.

HR 3495 and the classification question

Delegates asked for support for HR 3495, the Direct Seller and Real Estate Agent Harmonization Act. According to the DSA, the bill would align the treatment of direct sellers and real estate agents under the Fair Labor Standards Act with their classification in the federal tax code.

The measure has already passed a committee vote in the House Committee on Education and Workforce. Participants used their meetings to seek help moving the bill to the House floor for a full vote.

Scale of the channel

The advocacy push was framed against the size of the channel. The 2026 Direct Selling Education Foundation (DSEF) Growth & Outlook Study counts 5.2 million full- and part-time direct sellers in the United States.

Those sellers generate $34.2 billion in retail sales in the U.S. market, according to the same study.

Dave Grimaldi, CEO of the Direct Selling Association, commented on the event, emphasising the right to choose independence. The association said it is continuing to collect further accounts from direct sellers about why they chose independence and how that decision affected their lives.