The Sharing Economy Gets Its Day Before a U.S. House Subcommittee


Skift Take

We're still a long way from political leaders really understanding what's happening at brands like Uber and Airbnb.

The U.S. House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade held a hearing Tuesday to look at the influence the sharing economy and its emerging technologies have on consumers, job creation, and policy. "The sharing economy has captured the entrepreneurial spirit of many Americans already. Those who engage in freelance jobs are expected to skyrocket to 40 percent of the workforce in the next five years – about 7.8 million of which will be participating in the sharing economy," Michael C. Burgess, M.D., the Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee chairman said in his opening statement. The hearing both praised and scrutinized companies like Uber and Airbnb, bringing in s