Advocacy Day returns in 2022 after being postponed the past two years. The cornerstone event of RVs Move America Week will occur June 8.
To register for the event, click here.
RVIA provided a policy priority overview from the association’s federal affairs team to potentially interested parties.
Campground Modernization and Expansion
Between the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act and the recent creation of a National Campground Office within the National Park Service, the federal affairs team is focused on serving as a resource during implementation, RVIA stated.
Another package making its way through Congress is the Outdoor Recreation Act. The bill recognizes the increased RV demand and RVIA stated the bill takes steps to address the demand by: modernizing U.S. Forest Service and other public campgrounds; providing gateway community assistance for outdoor recreation businesses, including private campgrounds; responsibly extending public lands shoulder seasons to increase RV camping opportunities; and bringing much-needed broadband/Wi-Fi to front country campgrounds to address safety issues and provide technologies that current and future park visitors require.
Increasing Outdoor Access Through Improved EV Infrastructure
In recent comments to the Federal Highway Administration, RVIA expressed its strong support for the administration’s goal of increasing access to the outdoors for all Americans, the association stated, particularly through establishing grant and incentive programs for state and local governments, as well as the private sector, to build a national network of EV charging stations.
The development and funding for robust EV charging infrastructure aligns with the RV Industry Association’s efforts to unify the industry by working closely with the public and private campground industry to improve the consumer’s camping and RVing experiences.
Renewal of the Generalized System of Preferences
The lapse in the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program is costing the RV industry over $1 million a month, RVIA stated, and the issue has not moved significantly since the fourth quarter of 2021. RVIA outreach focused on pushing Ways and Means and Finance Committee champions to move on this quickly, and to push for a longer-term renewal of the program.
On the latter point RVIA stated the association is seeing traction. The House and Senate have passed legislation to reauthorize GSP. The key differences between the two are the length of renewal and country criteria.
Reestablishment of Section 301 Tariffs Exclusion Process
While United States Trade Representative (USTR) launched a limited exclusion system covering around 550 products, it has still not implemented a larger exclusion program. Congressional members in both chambers pushed USTR to reestablish a comprehensive, fair, and transparent exclusion process to allow U.S. producers, manufacturers, and importers to request exclusions from Section 301 tariffs on imports from China, RVIA stated.
For more on campground modernization and outdoor recreation issues, email Chris Bornemann at [email protected]. For more on tax and trade issues, email Samantha Rocci at [email protected]. For more on Advocacy Day, email Jay Landers at [email protected].
