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Executive Officer of AH&LA, Provides Update to Lodging Industry |
September 25, 2001
Dear Industry Friends & Colleagues, In the two weeks since the terrorist attacks of September 11, our nation's emotional scars have slowly begun to heal, however, the economic effects of this national crisis continue to reverberate. As you are undoubtedly aware, the lodging industry, along with the panoply
of travel and tourism, is suffering terrible financial losses as a result.
In other governmental affairs developments, we continue to closely monitor events in Washington. Currently, Members of Congress and the President are hesitant to pass any more industry-specific economic aid measure. AH&LA has learned through private meetings with our congressional allies that the airlines were the priority due to the national security aspect of that industry and that the timing is not right to go forward publicly with any specific lodging industry requests. In advance of the congressional action approving the airline industry's stimulus package late Friday night, members of AH&LA's governmental affairs department met with certain Members of Congress and their senior staff members and had conversations with senior Bush Administration officials regarding the extreme difficulties our industry faces. In fact, during debate on the airline relief package, Rep. Dave Weldon (R-Fla.) made the following comments, at our request: Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise encouraging all my colleagues to vote for this rule, which allows same day consideration, and then the subsequent rule on the bill, and certainly passage of the final bill. This is the first bite of the apple. There have been a number of Members
who have risen who want to do more. We are going to have plenty of opportunity
to do more, but we are clearly in a crisis situation right now.
As to the Congress, the immediate concern is for the workers who have been laid off from the airlines and related service industries. Efforts to extend their medical and other benefits were prominent in the House debate on the airline stimulus package and the reason there were 54 votes in opposition to even that measure when such provisions were not included in the final bill. AH&LA is working on a combined effort between labor and management of the hotel industry to proceed together in pursuit of any stimulus package that is economically feasible and politically viable. As to the Administration, it appears President Bush will follow the advice of Chairman Greenspan and Secretary O'Neill and go slow on ANY economic stimulus package, either macro or industry specific. Top White House officials have told AH&LA that the President is aware of the difficulties in our industry, and he did reference our industry in his weekly radio address last Saturday. As you can discern, the situation remains very fluid. We are also working as coalition partners with the Travel Business Roundtable (TBR) and the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) on strategizing ways to help travel and tourism in both the political and general public arenas. Both organizations are hosting meetings this week in Washington, and AH&LA will be at the table with its sleeves rolled up and ready to work. Additionally, I made the announcement last week about our own "kitchen cabinet" of lodging executives, including the CEOs of nearly every major hotel company in the country. This group is "at the ready" to assemble in the coming weeks. This esteemed group of business men and women will help guide and direct AH&LA in its leadership strategy moving forward. A complete list of cabinet members follows this letter. Finally, I want to again stress the importance of your attendance and
participation in the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show and
our own Fall Conference November 10-13 in New York City. It is up
to our industry to "lead by example" and show America and the world that
we will not give up our lives to terrorism. Please, I urge you to
keep your commitment to this important annual event. For information
about the show and other related details mentioned in this update, visit
us at www.ahla.com.
Thank you and God bless America. Sincerely,
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Tia T. Gordon
Manager of Media Relations American Hotel & Lodging Association (202) 289-3153 [email protected] http://www.ahla.com |
Also See | American Hotel & Lodging Association Forms Kitchen Cabinet to Address Lodging Industry Concerns; 'At the Ready' to Meet / Sept 2001 |