The ACRA “Inside Track”
February 2023 News And Notes – U.S. Car Rental Industry
“Who’s On First?” – House, Senate, Committee Leaders For 118th Congress
The end of 2022 saw the retirement of a large group of veteran lawmakers in the House and Senate – leading to a lot of changes in committee assignments and legislator seniority in the House and Senate. 2023 also brought major changes to the leaders of the House of Representatives with the slim takeover by the GOP and the decision of former House Speaker Pelosi to step aside in favor of a new House Democratic leadership team.
There also were major shifts in the chairs and ranking minority members of the House Committees of most interest to ACRA members. In the Senate, the leadership teams remained mostly intact, there have been minor, but important, shifts in the leaders of the Senate committees of greatest importance to ACRA.
Given the relatively slow pace of legislative activity in January on Capitol Hill as the House and Senate got organized, this edition of the ACRA newsletter will focus on the new congressional leaders and what the changes could mean for ACRA’s federal legislative priorities in 2023 and 2024.
House Leadership — GOP
No matter your politics, one has to feel somewhat sorry for new House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-TX). One works one’s entire life towards a goal – becoming Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives – and this is his reward? A razor thin majority, House Democrats pretty united in rooting for his failure, and a group of moderate GOP members to his left and a pack of far-right wingers to his right – and he is supposed to set and move the House agenda with a Democratic Senate and a Democrat in the White House?
But that’s the “school bus” this Texas dog has caught, along with the following new House GOP leaders:
- Speaker – Kevin McCarthy (R-TX)
- Majority Leader – Steve Scalise (R-LA)
- Majority Whip – Tom Emmer (R-MN); and,
- Republican Conference Chair — Elise Stefanik (R-NY)
House Leadership – Democrats
After 20 years of leadership by Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), House Democrats completely revamped their leadership team for the 118th Congress, as follows:
- Minority/Democratic Leader – Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY);
- Minority Whip – Katherine Clark (D-MA); and,
- Democratic Caucus Chair – Pete Aguilar (D-CA)
House Ways and Means Committee Leadership
2023 brings a new set of leaders to the House Ways and Means Committee, which initiates all federal tax legislation under the rules of the Constitution. Chairing the Committee in the 118th Congress will be Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO), and the Ranking Democrat on the Committee will be Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA). While much of the 2023 federal tax agenda will be set by the House and Senate leaders, Reps. Smith and Neal can be key players in ACRA’s efforts to delay the sunset of full expensing of personal property (such as rental cars and EV infrastructure).
House Energy and Commerce Committee Leadership
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rogers (R-WA) and Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) swap leadership positions on this key House Committee in 2023, with Rogers becoming Chair and Pallone becoming the Ranking Democrat. The Energy and Commerce Committee is a key committee for several ACRA federal legislative priorities, including federal privacy legislation, FTC regulation of commerce and consumer protection, vehicle data access legislation, vehicle safety, and alternative fuel vehicle mandates and infrastructure programs. Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) will lead the revamped Data and Commerce Subcommittee in the 118th Congress – which has jurisdiction over many of these ACRA priorities.
House Transportation and Infrastructure Leadership
Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO) ascends to the Chair of this key House Committee in 2023, with Rep. Rick Larson (D-WA) taking over as Ranking Democrat. A priority of this committee in 2023 is to craft an FAA reauthorization bill, and ACRA is supporting the creation of federal programs to fund the electrification of the “land” side of the nation’s airport to assist with the conversation of the nation’s rental vehicle fleet to alternative, low carbon fuels.
Senate Finance and Commerce Committees
Due to the fact that control of the Senate did not change in 2022, the leadership of these key Senate Committees is pretty much intact for 2023, with the exception of Senate Commerce. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) will continue to be Committee Chair and Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) will be the Ranking GOP Member. Again, this committee will be at the center of the debate over delaying the sunset of full expensing of personal property in 2023. For the Senate Commerce Committee (FAA, privacy, vehicle data access, vehicle safety and FTC/consumer protection), Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) will continue to chair the committee, and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) will take over the position of Ranking Republican Member on the committee in 2023.
2023 International Car Rental Show – Save the Dates
The 2023 ICRS will be held at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, NV from April 16 – 18, 2023. Save the date and plan to join your international car rental colleagues in Vegas for yet another great conference! Be Advised! When ACRA members register for the 2023 ICRS, they must contact Sharon Faulkner before registering to obtain the registration discount code for ACRA members. If you register for the 2023 ICRS and then try to secure the ACRA member discount, your request will not be permitted. So, rejoin ACRA, get the ACRA discount code prior to registering for ICRS, and enjoy the full benefits of your ACRA membership! Click Here To Register.
2023 ACRA D.C. Car Rental Conference – Change of Dates — Mark Your Calendars!
Based on the success of this year’s 2022 ACRA D.C. Car Rental Conference, planning is underway already for the 2023 Conference. Details to follow, but the dates have changed due to the 2023 congressional calendars. Please mark your calendars for October 22 — 25, 2023 and plan to join your ACRA colleagues in Washington, D.C.
ACRA Membership Activity
New Associate/Vendor Members
- American Border Insurance Services, Inc., San Diego, CA
- SheerID, Portland, OR
- Tugger Info Ltd. Tel Aviv, Israel
New Regular Operator Members
- Renty Car Rental, San Diego, CA
- r3Cavalcante LLC, Winter Garden, FL
- Smart Auto Rental, Irving TX
Renewed Associate Members
- 1st Source Truckers Bank Plan, Woodstock, GA
- American Business Insurance Services, Westlake Village, CA
- Aspire Softwear RENTALL, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
- Cardlogic Systems, Smyrna, GA
- CBIZ Insurance Services, Inc., Columbia, MD
- Copart, London, UK
- DamageID, Plymouth, MA
- Lancer Insurance, Long Beach, NY
- Triad Insurance Management Services Agency, Inc., Exton, PA
- We Buy Key Fobs, Omaha, NE
- Williams & Stazzone Insurance Agency, Melbourne, FL
Renewed Regular/Operator Members
- 4A Road Forward LLC Priceless Rental, Riverton, WY
- Airport Van Rental, Los Angeles, CA
- ALOCAL, Inc., dba Hertz Rent A Car, San Luis Obispo, CA
- American Auto Rental LLC, Monroe, LA
- AutoRental Etc., Lafayette, LA
- Auto Rental Services LLC Dollar Thrifty, Omaha, NE
- Avis Budget Licensee, Montgomery, AL
- Avis Licensee Association, Henrico, VA
- Avon Rent a Car, West Hollywood, CA
- Bandago, LLC, San Francisco, CA
- Budget Rent A Car of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA
- Carco Carriage Corporation dba Hertz, Fort Smith, AR
- Dollar Rent A Car Licensee, CMC Investments, Seattle, WA
- Economy Car Rental, Miami, FL
- Ed Morse Automotive Group, Delray Beach, FL
- Eden Car Rental, Brooklyn, NY
- Empire Mobility, Flushing, NY
- Enterprise Holdings, Inc., National, Alamo, Clayton, MO
- First City Car Rental LLC, Ketchikan, AK
- Floyd & Sons, Inc. dba Dollar/Thrifty Car Rental, Anchorage, Alaska
- Gateway Auto Rentals, dba Budget Rent A Car, Ketchikan, AK
- Green Motion, Miami, FL
- Hertz, Dollar Thrifty Licensee, Worcester, MA
- Jax Rideshare Rental, Atlanta, GA
- Lia Auto Group, Albany, NY
- Midwestern Wheels, Inc., Appleton, WI
- NoCounter, Indianapolis, IN
- NP Franchise Group, Laurel, MD
- Rabbit Rentals, Pleasant Grove, UT
- Routes Car Rental, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
- Rugged Rental, Salt Lake City, UT
- SAVVA Rental, Gardena, CA
- Sixt Rent A Car, LLC, Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Thrifty Car Rental, St. Louis, MO
- U-Car Share, Phoenix, AZ
- U-Save International, LLC, Madison, MS
- Walser Specialized Services LLC Rental, Minneapolis, MN
- Zoom Car Rental, Brooklyn, NY
