DSA meets with Congress to defend direct selling model

On September 21, 2022, direct selling representatives from across the United States, along with members of the DSA, met in Washington with Congress to advocate for the network marketing industry.

The goal of this meeting was to help US lawmakers understand how direct selling provides a flexible and secure path for entrepreneurs, setting an example for more than 7 million direct sellers making a living in the United States today.

At the Legal Seminar presentation on September 22, Republican Congresswoman Debbi Lesko and Democratic Congressman Marc Veasey spoke about the impact that the stories of those involved in Network Marketing had on them when they made the decision to join the industry.

The meetings of direct marketers and US lawmakers are instrumental in promoting the passage of H.R. 5038, the Direct Marketer Independence Preservation Act. This legislation is intended to modernise the laws of independent work to keep pace with the economy and the nature of work.

Those who attended the DSA’s Legal and Regulatory Seminar, in addition to hearing comments from Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, also heard comments from the DSA on the need to regulate the Federal Trade Commission on income disclosures.

With the same focus and at the request of the DSA, four US Senators and fourteen members of the US House of Representatives submitted a letter to the FTC suggesting that in the coming months, the agenda should focus on comments from the DSA and other stakeholders before moving forward.

In addition, Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) referred to the Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC) as one of the best examples of industry self-regulation in her presentation to attendees at the DSA Legal and Regulatory Seminar.

Furthermore, DSA engaged with the US Department of Labour to ensure that any independent contractor rule does not affect the current legal status of direct sellers as independent contractors. DSA will continue to be part of this ongoing rulemaking process.