Baltimore – September 24, 2026 -- Richard Huffman, founder, president and CEO of Celebree School, joined U.S. Rep. Johnny Olszewski and a local Chick-fil-A owner on a featured panel at the 2026 International Franchise Association Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C., pressing for passage of the American Franchise Act.
Record crowd of 500 franchise executives lobbies Congress
The Summit, hosted by IFA Senior Director of Federal Government Relations Haider Murtaza, drew more than 500 franchise executives, owners and Franchisees of the Year to the capital. Attendees spent the week urging lawmakers to pass the bipartisan American Franchise Act, which would establish a single, permanent federal joint-employer standard for the franchise industry after a decade of shifting rules.
White House signals support as bill clears House committee
The legislation has already advanced through the House Education and Workforce Committee with broad bipartisan backing and has a companion bill in the Senate. During the Summit, a White House official announced the Trump Administration's full support for the Act, a development IFA leadership described as a strong signal that the industry's push for regulatory certainty is close to realization. The bill now awaits a full House floor vote.
Huffman ties Celebree's growth to franchise advocacy case
Huffman framed his panel remarks around relationship-building rather than policy detail, arguing that lawmakers are won over through repeated, honest engagement rather than fact sheets. He cited his own path from opening a single Celebree preschool in Ellicott City in 1994 to running a multi-state early childhood education franchise as evidence that the sector's small-business and job-creation story can unite lawmakers across party lines.
Maryland appointment adds to Huffman's public policy profile
Huffman's Summit appearance follows his recent appointment by Maryland Governor Wes Moore to a five-year term on the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Celebree has also been recognized by the IFA as the inaugural recipient of its Emerging Franchisor Award for responsible franchising practices.
Huffman told fellow attendees that advocacy work continues after the Summit through follow-up calls, notes and invitations for members of Congress to visit franchise locations directly.