News
08
www.asianhospitality.com
May 2024 | Issue 225
resident Biden’s State of
the Union address before
Congress on March 7
touched on several issues hotel
industry associations have been
advocating for a while. AAHOA
and the American Lodging and
Hotel Association both issued
responses to the speech and
AAHOA held its 2024 Spring
National Advocacy Conference
during the week of March 14.
The issues at hand include
the extension of tax credits,
handling of junk fees for
greater disclosure and transparency
and raising the federal minimum wage.
During SNAC, more than 200 AAHOA
leaders and members spent two days
in Washington, D.C. The conference
opened with a legislative learning
session at the Ronald Reagan Building
and International Trade Center, followed
by an evening Congressional Reception
at the Cannon House Office Building
and then a full day of Congressional
meetings.
“Each year we continue to see the
relationships grow between our AAHOA
Members and their elected officials,”
said Laura Lee Blake, AAHOA president
and CEO. “Our twice-yearly advocacy
conferences are quickly becoming the
foundation for shaping and driving
national policy and our members are
making it happen.”
Nearly 30 members of Congress met
with the AAHOA delegation, including
Republican Sen. Roger Marshall of
Kansas and California Democrat
Congressman Ro Khanna. Marshall
is a co-sponsor of the Credit Card
Competition Act that will promote fee,
security, and service competition among
credit card networks, and which AAHOA
supports. Khanna, the son of Indian
immigrants, told the AAHOA members
that representation is crucial to serving
Indian-American communities and
strengthening America's economic and
strategic partnership with India, such as
AAHOA’s “Made in India” initiative.
“As a champion of advocacy and
building relationships with elected
officials, AAHOA is proud to advocate
on behalf of the hotel industry in the
halls of Congress,” said Bharat Patel,
AAHOA chairman. “SNAC provides
AAHOA leaders the opportunity to learn
about the issues impacting our industry
and prepares them to have productive,
impactful meetings with their elected
officials on Capitol Hill. AAHOA’s
reputation, influence, and recognition in
Washington continues to grow, and it is
thanks to the AAHOA members who take
the time to make advocacy a part of their
business plan.”
The issues
Along with the Credit Card Competition
Act, top issues for AAHOA include
expanding access to capital by increasing
the SBA loan limit to $10 million
and supporting the LIONS Act. The
association also supports the Overtime
Pay Flexibility Act and the SEASONAL Act
as means to address the ongoing labor
shortage.
“AAHOA is strategically positioned to
address these pivotal issues at SNAC,”
Blake said. “As our members confront
escalating challenges, there has never
been a more opportune moment for
AAHOA to be in our nation’s capital. We
will continue to articulate our concerns,
establish meaningful relationships, and
lay the groundwork for impactful change
in the years ahead.”
Biden’s state of the union address did
not address every issue that concerns
AAHOA members, Patel said.
“President Biden's address
touched on topics such as
tax credits, junk fees, and
plans for increasing the
federal minimum wage;
however, AAHOA members
are currently grappling
with the tangible impacts
of rising inflation, a decline
in corporate travel, acute
workforce shortages, soaring
property insurance rates,
and escalating prices for
goods and services,” Patel
said. “AAHOA remains committed to
upholding our reputation as some of the
nation's most informed, engaged, and
knowledgeable association members in
Washington, D.C.”
AHLA pursues labor
relief, fee regulation
After Biden’s speech, AHLA released its
own legislative agenda.
“While AHLA’s outlook for the future of
the hotel industry is optimistic, hoteliers
are facing a number of hurdles at the
federal level,” AHLA said. “These include
labor shortages, stubborn inflation, and
a host of federal regulations that are
tying hoteliers up in red tape.”
AHLA’s priorities include:
Supporting the Hotel Fees
Transparency Act and the No Hidden
Fees Act that would create a single
fee-display standard for all lodging
businesses, including hotels, online
travel agencies, metasearch sites and
short-term rental platforms.
Seeking legislation to overturn the
National Labor Relations Board’s joint-
employer regulation, which makes it
more likely that hotel franchisers can
be held responsible for employees at
franchised hotels.
Challenging the U.S. Department
of Labor’s proposed overtime-
pay regulation and regulation that
changes the way workers are classified
as independent contractors or
employees.
AAHOA, AHLA set legislative
advocacy goals
Issues include tax credits, fees, labor shortage
More than 200 AAHOA leaders and members spent two days in Washington,
D.C., during its 2024 Spring National Advocacy Conference.