A member-led collective and the outdoor industry’s catalyst for meaningful change, Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is gathering today and tomorrow in Washington D.C. to galvanize outdoor industry leaders, policymakers and elected officials to advocate for critical issues facing the outdoor economy, outdoor participation and the planet.
During the two-day event, attendees will meet with members of Congress and other administration officials to discuss legislation that supports the outdoor recreation economy, including topics like trade, climate, access and equity.
Speakers at Capitol Summit include Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres-Small, and more.
“This is an extraordinary opportunity for the outdoor industry to be heard,” said Kent Ebersole, President of OIA. “Since our last Capitol Summit in 2019, more than 10 million Americans participated in outdoor recreation for the first time, or for the first time in years. This increase in the number of people spending time outside was not a moment in time for managing stress from lockdown during a global pandemic. We witnessed a multi-generational mind shift around the physical, mental, and emotional health benefits of spending time in nature, as over half of the U.S. population flocked to the outdoors. This massive spike in participation led to greater spending within the outdoor recreation economy, to a whopping $862 billion in 2021, accounting for 1.9 percent of GDP and a record-breaking 4.5 million jobs in the U.S.,” said Ebersole.
Throughout the OIA Capitol Summit, industry leaders will urge Congress to pass America’s Outdoor Recreation Act, the largest comprehensive package of recreation bills in a generation that helps ensure the outdoors are open and accessible to all Americans.
Attendees will work to fuel the innovation and job growth of outdoor businesses by supporting the passage of a package of miscellaneous tariff bills (MTBs) and renew the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).
Continuing to fight on behalf of the planet and the natural landscapes, Capitol Summit attendees will advocate for greater climate action, conservation and sustainable economic growth while showing support for state-based offices of outdoor recreation and increased investments in the outdoors at the state and local levels.
As part of the Capitol Summit, OIA will present The Friend of the Outdoor Industry Award to members of Congress in recognition of their legislative leadership around outdoor recreation and their dedication to supporting the outdoor industry. This year, The Friend of the Outdoor Industry Award will be presented to Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Representative Adrian Smith (R-NE), and Representative Nanette Barragán (D-CA).
OIA also will host the Thrive Outside Community Gathering, an event centered around outdoor access, equity and inclusion at Anacostia Park. Hosted by Friends of Anacostia Park, Outdoor Industry Association and Outdoor Foundation, the event will highlight how the outdoor industry and community organizations are working together to erode the barriers to outdoor access through a collective impact model.
For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org
