AH&LA: Newly-Elected Congress Is Good For Hospitality Industry

NEW YORK— The new Administration ready to take office come January is going to be shot in the arm for the hospitality industry, according to American Hotel & Lodging Association executives attending the International Hotel/Motel Restaurant Show here. With the Republicans ready to take control of the House of Representatives and Senate next year, there will be less filibustering and a more focused agenda to get necessary bills passed, specifically ones that relate to the hospitality industry, said Joseph McInerney, president/CEO of AH&LA. Although McInerney is admittedly a Chicago Democrat, however he told the audience gathered for the AH&LA breakfast Saturday morning that the incoming administration are supportive of pushing forward the travel and tourism industry. In fact, 89% of the candidates the AH&LA gave money to during this past election campaign were elected, and 82% percent of candidates running for the Senate, McInerney said. “We have a lot of new friends on the Hill,” he said. There are 11 proposed bills related to the hospitality industry currently making its way through Congress, which hopefully will be passed during this lame duck session, McInerney said. Not included in this is the Foley bill, introduced by Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) to fund tourism promotion in the U.S. At this point, in order for the Foley bill to be approved in its current state, it would have to be as an add-on to an existing bill, otherwise it will “die a natural death,” McInerney said. It would then have to be re-introduced in another form in the future, he said. However the good news is to come next year, industry-related legislation should have an easier approval and less watering down process as a result of one party having majority control of all three branches of government, he said. “Senators realize that tourism is an important part of their constituencies,” McInerney said. — Elliot Markowitz