U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on the introduction of the U.S. Senate’s bipartisan Hospitality and Commerce Job Recovery Act of 2020:

“Targeted economic relief for struggling travel-related businesses needs to be a significant priority in America’s broader economic recovery plan. The bipartisan Hospitality and Commerce Job Recovery Act includes a number of crucial measures to provide much-needed economic stability to millions of Americans whose livelihoods rely on travel and tourism while also helping drive demand to more quickly bring back the jobs that have been lost to the pandemic.

“The Leisure & Hospitality industry has suffered nearly 40% of all job losses nationwide, and a staggering 50% of all travel-supported jobs will be lost by the end of December if there is no federal intervention to provide aid. The bill’s targeted approach to providing tax incentives would ensure that these hard-hit businesses—including those in the meetings, events and entertainment segments—get the help they so desperately need to recover from this crisis.

“Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and Sen. Kevin Cramer are to be commended for introducing this important piece of jobs legislation, and we urge policymakers to consider this bill or include its policy measures in a broader legislative relief package.”

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