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More than 500 franchisees, franchisors, and suppliers went to Capitol Hill on September 16 to meet with members of Congress and advocate for passage of the bipartisan American Franchise Act (AFA). The record turnout was part of the three-day 2026 IFA Advocacy Summit, which brought the franchise community together to advance legislative action aimed at protecting the franchise business model.
Event attendees met with members of Congress from their respective states to emphasize that franchisees are local small business owners who create jobs, serve customers, and contribute to their communities. They also highlighted how the American Franchise Act would provide long-term certainty and protections for more than 832,000 franchise businesses across the country.
In a general session address the day before attendees headed to Capitol Hill, International Franchise Association president and CEO Matt Haller highlighted the significant opportunity franchise leaders had to engage directly with lawmakers and advocate for the interests of their businesses.
“I've watched members of Congress become champions of this bill for exactly one reason,” said Haller. “A franchise owner sat down with them, in their district, and told them, directly, what the business means to their community — the jobs it creates, the tax revenue it generates, and the people it employs and serves every single day. No briefing document can replicate that conversation.”
Tom and Melissa Murphy, who own two Huntington Learning Center locations in Pennsylvania, were among the 252 first-time attendees at this year’s Summit. They said the event gave them a deeper understanding of franchising’s role in the broader business community, while also providing an opportunity to connect directly with lawmakers from their home state.
“We shared our personal story with legislators to help demonstrate that franchising is a great pathway for people from all backgrounds to become entrepreneurs and independent business owners,” said Melissa Murphy. “We also emphasized the importance of franchises in the American business landscape as critical contributors to the economy. Franchises are small businesses. They're local businesses with the potential to create jobs and engagement. We asked our representatives to support the American Franchise Act and explained the importance of clarifying the joint employer standard.”
David Muirhead owns four Grout Medic territories and has been in franchising for 20 years. He attended the Summit as one of the International Franchise Association’s Franchisees of the Year and appreciated meeting with congressional staff from his home state of Virginia.
“Having the opportunity to meet with members of Congress, raise awareness of the American Franchise Act, and share the real-world experiences of franchise owners made the experience incredibly meaningful,” said Muirhead. “I walked away with a better understanding of how important it is for franchisees to have a voice in shaping the future of franchising.”
This year marked Jonathan Steward’s fourth time attending the Advocacy Summit. As the owner of 17 Mosquito Shield and three Mr. Handyman units in New Jersey, Steward welcomed the chance to meet face-to-face with congressional staff, who he said were generous with their time and receptive to franchisees’ concerns. He valued the time given to ask questions, share his experiences, and help educate lawmakers and their staff about the franchise industry.
Steward brings a unique perspective to the joint employer issue, having spent more than 20 years working on the franchisor side with three different brands before becoming a franchise owner. He saw firsthand how four changes to the definition of joint employer in 10 years created uncertainty and limited the level of support franchisors could provide to their franchisees. Now as a franchisee, he must pay third-party providers for guidance on some issues the franchisor previously handled. He said the uncertainty can be especially challenging for first-time business owners, who often rely heavily on their franchisors for guidance and support.
Steward said franchisees want the flexibility to build their own organizational structures, develop unique workplace cultures, and establish compensation plans that meet their individual needs. He said without clear standards defining these responsibilities, franchisees can lose the autonomy to operate their businesses as they see fit. Steward and other franchise owners told New Jersey’s congressional delegation that the American Franchise Act would provide greater clarity around the joint employer definition while supporting the interests of both franchisees and franchisors.
“I spent 25 years of my career on the franchisor side supporting franchisees before I became one myself,” said Steward. “I didn't leave that career to become someone's employee. I left to own something of my own and to build a team and culture as part of a brand I believe in. The American Franchise Act would codify a fair standard and give our industry the long-term certainty it needs so that franchise owners can focus on running their businesses and franchisors can support them.”