2026 Washington Policy Conference
Please view the featured panel topics below. This page is updated regularly—check back for the latest information.
Wednesday, March 25
Lunch
12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. (ET)
Welcome by ERIC’s Chair of the Board of Directors and ERIC’s President & CEO
12:30 p.m. – 12:35 p.m. (ET)
The Media Lens on Affordability: Politics, Policy, and the 2026 Midterms
12:35 p.m. – 1:25 p.m. (ET)
What happens when policy meets politics? Join some of the brightest minds in the media as they explore how affordability is shaping the 2026 midterm elections—and how the results will influence the next round of policy debates. This panel connects today’s congressional battles with tomorrow’s political outcomes, including what they could mean for future action on health care and retirement security.
Promoting Retirement Policy for the Next 50 Years: Policies and Priorities
1:25 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. (ET)
Three years after the enactment of SECURE 2.0, implementation continues. However, other issues like fiduciary responsibilities, lifetime income, the ERISA litigation pleading standards, 401(k) investment issues, and implementing the new Trump Accounts are also top of mind for many plan sponsors. This panel of Capitol Hill staff and agency officials (past and current) will take stock of the progress we have made in delivering on retirement security, and the challenges that must be addressed in 2026 and beyond.
Break
2:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. (ET)
ERIC in the States: 50 Years After ERISA, New Benefits Challenges Emerge
2:30 p.m. – 3:20 p.m. (ET)
For 50 years since ERISA was enacted, ERIC and its member companies have continued the critical fight to uphold national uniformity and foster plan sponsors’ ability to offer competitive employee benefits to today’s workforce. While the American political landscape has changed dramatically over the last half-century, one constant is the continued introduction of sometimes well-intentioned state and local policies that threaten to undermine ERISA. Join our panel of experts for an engaging discussion on the success that ERIC and allies have had in shaping key state and local proposals, as well as the policy trends that employers must prepare to face.
Keynote Speaker
3:20 p.m. – 3:50 p.m. (ET)
Break
3:50 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (ET)
Keynote Speaker
4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. (ET)
Fireside Chat
4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (ET)
ERIC’s 50th Anniversary Reception
5:00 p.m. (ET)
Thursday, March 26
Breakfast
8:30 a.m. (ET)
Keynote Speaker
8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. (ET)
Fireside Chat with Representative Jake Auchincloss
9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. (ET)
Benefits Under Siege: Navigating the Class Action Deluge
9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. (ET)
Dozens of cases are filed each year again benefit plan fiduciaries and plan sponsors. Originally beginning in the retirement context, the deluge of ERISA class action litigation has migrated to the health context, and now voluntary benefits as well. Plaintiffs’ firms have launched challenges to standard procedures used industry-wide. How should employers navigate these dangerous waters? Is there a hope of legislative or judicial relief? Our panel of experts will explain what companies and fiduciaries need to know about the future litigation landscape.
Networking Activity
10:30 a.m. – 10:40 a.m. (ET)
Keynote Speaker – Representative Ryan Mackenzie
10:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. (ET)
Keynote Speaker
11:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. (ET)
Lunch
11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. (ET)
The Next Chapter in Health Policy: Delivering on Quality and Affordable Health Benefits
12:45 a.m. – 1:45 a.m. (ET)
Employer-sponsored coverage remains the primary source of health insurance for working Americans, yet employers and employees alike are facing rising costs and growing questions about value and sustainability. This panel of Capitol Hill staff will discuss whether current health policy is delivering on the promise of high-quality, affordable employer-sponsored health benefits—including what policies are working, where gaps remain, and additional policy pathways to strengthen employer-sponsored coverage.
Closing Remarks & Raffle
1:45 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (ET)
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Thank you to our 2026 Washington Policy Conference sponsors.
50th Anniversary Sponsor
Black Gold
Rose Gold
White Gold
Thank you to our reception sponsors.
*ERIC Antitrust Statement: As a reminder, all ERIC meetings and activities are to be conducted in full compliance with the ERIC Antitrust Policy. The antitrust laws prohibit competitors from agreeing on prices to be charged or otherwise taking steps that harm free and fair competition among them. While ERIC’s primary mission and activities are entirely consistent with the antitrust laws, if you have any concerns about a particular topic or discussion, please raise it with ERIC staff.