DashRoots Returns to Washington: Dashers and Merchants Ask Congress to Stand Up for Main Street and Independent Workers

Last year, Dashers came to Washington to fight for No Tax on Tips - and won big. This year, Dashers and small business owners from across the country returned to Capitol Hill with a broader agenda: expanding access to benefits for independent workers and giving real relief for small businesses that keep Main Street alive.

Over 20 Dashers and local business owners from 12 states went to Capitol Hill for close to 50 meetings marking our 2026 Congressional Lobby Day. They're part of DashRoots, DoorDash's advocacy network with nearly 280,000 members. Advocates met with House and Senate offices, making the case directly to lawmakers from both parties for policies that would make a real difference in how they work and live.

"Washington works best when real people are in the room, not just lobbyists or consultants. For the second year in a row, DashRoots brought Dashers and merchants from across the country face-to-face with the lawmakers who represent them," said Alyssa Betz, Head of Federal Affairs at DoorDash. "These are the people who power local economies, telling their own stories, in their own words."

For too long, the debate about independent work has been stuck in a false choice between flexibility and security. Dashers made the case that they want and deserve both. Legislation introduced by Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) in the House and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) in the Senate, would clear federal roadblocks holding back expanding benefits to independent workers without giving up the flexibility they chose this work for. Pilots in Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Maryland show portable benefits work: Nearly 14,000 Dashers participated across all three pilots, and DoorDash contributed almost $3 million to their portable benefits accounts for healthcare, time off, retirement and more.

Small business owners shared their stories about what it takes to open a business and what it costs to keep one going. They want policies that lower costs, cut red tape, and make it easier to grow - like those in DoorDash's Unlocking Main Streetpolicy blueprint. The practical reforms in the blueprint could generate up to $10 billion in overall savings and sales nationwide.

After dozens of meetings between Dashers, business owners and their representatives in Congress, DoorDash ended the day by presenting its inaugural Legislator of the Year awards, recognizing one lawmaker from each party who has gone above and beyond in support of Dashers, merchants, and the communities they serve. This year's honorees were Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO), whose leadership on the House Ways and Means Committee was instrumental in ensuring Dashers were included in No Tax on Tips, and Rep. Adam Gray (D-CA), who has shown early leadership on issues critical to independent workers and food access since joining Congress.

DoorDash will continue working with policymakers on both sides of the aisle to advance policies that protect independent work and support small businesses.