After canvassing the halls of both the House and Senate office buildings Tuesday afternoon and educating their elected representatives on the major policy issues of the day, Washington Conference attendees gathered for a reception in the Library of Congress’ Thomas Jefferson Building -- hailed by many as the most beautiful building in Washington. But by daybreak, dealers were back to the business at hand.  

Building on the momentum of day one, day two opened with a message from NADA Chairman Rob Cochran, who underscored why dealer advocacy matters—and why showing up in Washington makes a difference. 

“For more than half a century, this conference has demonstrated the power of dealers coming together in Washington. There is simply no substitute for policymakers hearing directly from you – the men and women who run dealerships, employ people in your communities and serve customers every day.” 

This message was reinforced during a fireside chat-style conversation between Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) and Cochran. Moreno updated attendees on key legislation, including the bipartisan Connected Vehicle Security Act he introduced. He also shared his insights on current events in Washington and shared his perspective on what lies ahead. 

Sen. Moreno offered advice to the dealers ahead of their prospective congressional meetings, telling attendees to “make [your] arguments simple, crisp and digestible.” 

On the regulatory front, dealers heard from Chris Mufarrige, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, who updated them on the agency’s renewed focus on transparency in advertising.  

Mufarrige’s speech came on the heels of the FTC’s release of their long-awaited price transparency FAQs the day before. NADA released the following statement in response:  

“The FTC’s FAQs are an important step toward providing dealers with clear guidance about the agency’s advertising compliance expectations. NADA worked closely with dealers and the FTC to address questions raised following the warning letters, and we appreciate the agency’s effort to further educate the industry on this important topic." 

Of course, no trip to Washington would be complete without a little political discussion. Dealers got an exclusive preview of the 2026 midterm elections from political analyst David Wasserman of the Cook Political Report, who offered an inside look at the current political landscape and what the results could mean for dealers and their issues. Attendees took advantage of his expertise and asked several astute questions regarding upcoming races and the reliability of polling. 

The conference wrapped up with another round of Capitol Hill meetings on Wednesday afternoon, giving dealers another window of opportunity to engage directly with their elected representatives. In total, this year’s attendees scheduled more than 200 meetings, emphasizing dealers' commitment to making their voice heard in Washington.

By coming together and building relationships, dealers are actively influencing the policies that affect auto retailers and their customers.