With Democrats set to take control of the House and Senate, Direct Selling Association (DSA) CEO Dave Grimaldi discusses what the results could mean for direct selling, how DSA has prepared, and what DSA is asking of the direct selling channel.
Q. What is DSA’s reaction to the election results?
DSA congratulates the newly elected members of Congress and those returning to serve. We thank the legislators who have stood by direct selling, and we look forward to working with the incoming leadership and lawmakers in both parties on issues that affect direct selling companies and the people who choose to work independently.
The 120th Congress will govern with an entirely new ideology, which will include fresh scrutiny of all segments of the American economy, and the need for stronger consumer protections.
The direct selling channel will be part of that scan, and we are ready to defend it at all costs, while collaborating with the new leadership across the House and Senate.
Q. What should direct selling executives prepare for over the next two years?
Democratic control of both chambers means new committee leadership and different priorities.
Companies should prepare for closer examination and oversight of earnings and product claims, income disclosures, and recruitment practices. Some of our legislative priorities could face a tougher path, which will include oversight of the key federal agencies overseeing the channel, and how they are regulating it.
Lawmakers in both parties have legitimate questions about consumer protection. We welcome fair, informed scrutiny. Companies should be ready to explain how their standards work in practice and what they do when someone violates them.
Q. How has DSA prepared, and what will it do next?
This year, DSA brought company leaders and independent direct sellers into conversations with policymakers in Washington and the states. Sellers explained why they chose independent work, how it fits their lives, and what changes in the law could mean for their businesses. We’ll continue this work and build on those relationships as we engage the 120th Congress.
In 2026, we helped advance H.R. 3495 and its Senate companion, which would recognize qualifying direct sellers as independent contractors under federal wage-and-hour law. We also pressed the Department of Labor for a standard that reflects how direct sellers work. The department’s draft final independent contractor rule has now completed White House review.
DSA will continue to make the channel’s case on both fronts in Washington, D.C., and challenge proposals in the states that fail to distinguish lawful direct selling from deceptive practices wherever they might arise.
Q. What does DSA need from the industry now?
Direct selling competes in the marketplace, and everyone in the channel shares a common interest in protecting the rights of individuals to choose independent work. DSA will make that case to lawmakers in both parties. That’s why DSA is asking every company, every executive, and every independent entrepreneur to help.
Build relationships with lawmakers before you need them. Bring direct sellers into those conversations. Give lawmakers facts they can trust and make sure our business practices back up what we tell them. Our influence depends on the case we make, the standards we uphold, the stories we share, and our willingness to stand together.
