WASHINGTON, D.C.— Day two of the fifth annual American Hotel & Lodging Association Legislative Action Summit presented a mixed message from congressional insiders as to what ultimate success AH&LA members might expect to have with the initiatives they presented here on Capitol Hill Wednesday to their legislators. For the most part, they saw that success tied to whether a now-tabled economic stimulus package would eventually make its way out of the Congress, notably out of the Senate. For example, when Paul Whetsell, president/CEO of MeriStar Hotels & Resorts, asked presenter Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NB) what the chances were for such a package anytime soon, he responded “my feeling is youre not going to have one.” He cited a more positive upswing in economic indicators, thus relieving some of the pressure from months past to produce such a package. The Deputy Whip for the Republican Majority went so far as to say “I think an economic stimulus package is dead.” Still, it didn’t mean the membership was wasting its time in Washington. Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO) told the more than 200 AH&LA member state representatives “it does make a difference talking about the issues that really affect your industry, and talking about those issues in light of some of the travel concerns people had since Sept. 11.” Blunt is a co-sponsor of the American Travel Promotion Act (H.R. 3321) introduced last November by Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL), and which AH&LA put at the top of its tri-part list of issues to present to Congress at this particular LAS. Second and third on the AH&LA agenda are a push for the return of a business meal and entertainment expenses tax deduction, and restoration of the spousal travel expenses tax deduction. “It’s a bill that does what [AH&LA] is talking about, encouraging people to travel, and at a time when people are reluctant to do that,” said Blunt, who serves as Republican Chief Deputy to the Majority Whip of the House of Representatives. The bill would provide $100 million to supplement state government travel promotion expenditures, with a minimum of $100,000 going to each state and distributed over a nine-month period. “It’s a very fine line we’re walking right now,” AH&LA president/CEO Joe McInerney told HOTEL BUSINESS®. He noted some of these individual initiatives, like the meals tax or bringing back the spousal deduction, might suggest one-time issues that could be tagged on to some other bill. D.C. insider and public affairs pro Charles Black Jr., chairman of Black Kelly Scruggs & Healy, confirmed an economic stimulus package is high on the President’s list, and noted the Republican House has passed on a stimulus package three times, only to be stalled in the Senate. “Odds are you’re not going to see an economic stimulus package this year,” he said. Nicholas Calio, White House assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs, also affirmed the Bush budget includes money for a stimulus package, but noted “Long story short, it didn’t get done.” Nonetheless, Black added a positive note: “Hospitality issues are truly bipartisan so you have a good chance of getting their [legislators]support.” “The point is,” said McInerney, “if we don’t bring our issues up, we’re never going to get them done. I think there’s different ways they can get done.” He feels the Foley bill, with 22 co-sponsors, can be done. “We have to get a bipartisan sponsorship and a companion bill in the Senate,” and noted the messages seem mixed as to what’s plausible because “everybody’s got a different agenda. I think they [Congress]have to be in session a week or so to see what that agenda is going to be.” To really make their case with legislators, Jack Connors, evp/public policy for AH&LA, told members the key words for the duration of the conference, which winds up Thursday morning, “are patience and flexibility, because things are changing rapidly on the Hill.” He said the three issues being presented at this LAS were picked because “t