AHLA President and CEO Katherine Lugar catches up with members in between sessions.
WASHINGTON—More than 500 AHLA and AAHOA members from across the nation attended this year’s Legislative Action Summit (LAS) to show industry unity on several issues and lobby more than 300 lawmakers in both houses of Congress on Capitol Hill.
“There’s a lot happening just a few blocks from us at the White House and with the new Congress,” said Katherine Lugar, president and CEO of AHLA, during the general session at the conference. “There really hasn’t been a more important time to come together, to have all of you engaged, proactively tell your story, and define the depth and breadth of our industry. Your engagement and participation keeps us moving the needle forward on the issues that matter most to you and your businesses.”
Held at Capital Hilton, the two-day event prepared attendees for a full day of lobbying by providing them with presentations by a variety of speakers (including a few federal elected officials); a packet of talking points and industry statistics; and networking opportunities for hoteliers to collaborate with each other on lobbying best practices.
“I think the thing that I enjoy most about the conference is meeting with your legislators,” said Steve Wahrlich, owner of the Billings, MT-based Best Western Plus ClockTower Inn and chair of the Montana Lodging and Hospitality Association (MLHA), in an interview with Hotel Business. “I mean, where else do you get to come and meet with them one-on-one and discuss the issues that are ultimately important, not only to my properties, the states I operate in, but also within the national level?”
Opening day of the conference, AHLA’s president and CEO told conference attendees the good news: The “Stop Online Booking Scams Act” would be reintroduced in both houses of Congress later in the day. “Your presence in Washington couldn’t be more relevant or timely,” she said, encouraging hoteliers to lobby for the passage of the bill, which, simply put, calls for transparency and disclosure, so consumers know who they’re booking a stay with when doing so online.
Chip Rogers, president and CEO of AAHOA—a hotel owners association with more than 16,650 members—shifted the discussion to unity by pointing out how the hospitality and lodging industry needs to continue coming together to make any kind of meaningful impact in Congress. “What lawmakers are looking for is unity,” he explained to summit attendees. “The greatest tool we have in the industry is unity.”
This collaboration across the industry will assist with counterbalancing the adverse effects of poorly constructed and executed laws, he said. “I don’t think there’s any dispute that without us advocating for our interests, politicians left to their own devices—even with the best intentions—will oftentimes make major mistakes,” Rogers pointed out.
A former politician, AAHOA’s president and CEO concluded his speech with two key tips for hoteliers meeting with legislators: know your information and tell your story. He also suggested to attendees: Stay away from the numbers—for lobbying groups all too often overuse figures when sitting down to meet with legislators.
Amy Walter, the national editor at The Cook Political Report, tried her best to explain the current political landscape; however, she admitted to being unsure of what the future will hold (acknowledging the media’s struggle with predicting the president’s behavior—especially when he was a presidential candidate for the Republican Party). “The chaos candidate has now turned into the chaos presidency,” she told attendees.
While many Republicans in Congress have been throwing their support behind the president, Democrats—in the minority in both houses of the legislature—are doing their best to take back the majority, at least in the House. “Democrats smell blood in the water,” Walter explained to hoteliers. “They have zero desire to help Republicans. Certainly, they have no desire to help President Trump, but they might have been persuaded, had his numbers looked a little bit better, had he been more successful.”
Walter believes there’s a 40-50% chance Democrats will regain control of the House after the midterm elections (in 2018). “Here’s what we know about midterm elections in normal times: The party in the White House almost always loses seats in a midterm election, especially that first midterm election,” she said. What would a victory in 2018 mean for Democrats in 2019? Subpoena power. What would the Democrats taking back control of the House mean for the American people at large? Ongoing hearings, she said.
“My advice to everyone is buckle up and —if you can—enjoy the ride because it’s going to keep on going,” she concluded before taking questions from the crowd.
Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-NY) and Congressman Steve Scalise (R-LA) both spoke briefly to attendees about today’s political environment and what it means for the industry. Each member agreed on the importance of pushing for tax reform.
Day one’s festivities concluded with the 2017 AHLA Stars of the Industry reception, hosted by Jenna Bush Hager, the youngest of former President George W. Bush’s fraternal twin daughters. Wyndham Hotel Group CEO Geoff Ballotti, vice chair of the AHLA board of directors, announced the winner of the North Star Award, the association’s highest honor. This year’s winner was Maria Ortiz, restaurant supervisor at Wyndham Houston Medical Center Hotel and Suites in Houston.
The following day, just before storming Capitol Hill, attendees sat before Mark Carrier, AHLA chairman, who spoke about the positive change AHLA and AAHOA members have been making for the industry as a whole. “Together, we’re having a profound impact,” he said. He reiterated the significance of telling the stories of everyday people in the industry and reminded attendees not to assume legislators know about lodging.
“I enjoy meeting with the senators and legislators—congressmen and congresswomen—and really just meeting with them,” said Doug Dreher, president and CEO of The Hotel Group. “We like sharing our story.”
The morning session ended with U.S. Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) addressing today’s political climate. He criticized Republican leadership with regard to its handling of legislative priorities. “Tax reform and infrastructure probably would’ve been a big win,” said Heller, adding he would’ve waited a bit longer to take on healthcare.
“There’s no doubt that with one unified and powerful voice, we are defining our industry,” Vanessa Sinders, SVP of government affairs at AHLA, told Hotel Business. “We have this tremendous story to tell: a story of our ‘stars,’ of upward mobility and growth, of creating jobs and supporting our communities. The success of this year’s LAS is a testament to our industry’s strong engagement and commitment to telling these stories, which in turn help us move the needle on the key policy issues affecting hoteliers.” HB
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