Biden signs funding bill, avoiding pre-Christmas shutdown

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN signed the "American Relief Act, HR 10545" into law Saturday morning, preventing a government shutdown just before Christmas and ensuring funding through March 14. The American Hotel & Lodging Association praised lawmakers for averting a disruption that could have affected holiday travel and left millions of federal employees furloughed or unpaid.

However, AHLA said the year-end deal excluded the lodging fee transparency provisions for which hotel industry associations had advocated.

"The bipartisan funding bill I just signed keeps the government open and delivers urgently needed disaster relief and funds to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge," Biden said. "This agreement represents a compromise, meaning neither side got everything it wanted, but it rejects the accelerated tax cut for billionaires that Republicans sought and ensures the government can continue to operate at full capacity. That's good news for the American people, especially as families gather this holiday season."

The measure provides $100 billion in disaster relief for hurricane recovery and other natural disasters and allocates $10 billion in aid to farmers. The Senate approved the bill early Saturday with an 85 to 11 vote, following the House's 336-34 passage.

“AHLA appreciates lawmakers for averting a shutdown that could have caused significant travel disruptions this holiday season,” said Rosanna Maietta, AHLA’s president and CEO. “However, we are disappointed that the lodging fee transparency provisions we championed were not included. We believe federal legislation is the best way to create clear fee-display rules for consumers, hoteliers, and the industry. We will continue to work with lawmakers and the new administration to establish a nationwide standard for fee-inclusive lodging displays.”

AAA recently projected that approximately 119.3 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

For the past two years, AHLA has championed two bipartisan federal fee-transparency bills: the House-passed No Hidden FEES Act and the Senate’s Hotel Fees Transparency Act.

The Federal Trade Commission recently finalized a rule requiring industries, including hotels, to disclose all fees upfront in advertised prices, banning the exclusion of resort or "junk" fees from short-term lodging rates.

A bipartisan spending deal announced on Dec. 17 included a provision based on this legislation to establish a nationwide standard for up-front, fee-inclusive lodging price displays. If passed, it would have ensured consumers knew the total price with no surprise fees, no matter where they booked.

"While it does not include everything we sought, it includes disaster relief for storm recovery, eliminates the accelerated tax cut for billionaires, and ensures the government can continue to operate at full capacity," said Karine Jean-Pierre, White House press secretary, regarding the compromise bill Biden signed.

AHLA’s latest data shows just 6 percent of hotels nationwide charge a mandatory resort, destination, or amenity fee, averaging $26 per night.

President-elect Donald Trump is set to return to the U.S. presidency for a second, non-consecutive term on Jan. 20, making him the first to do so since Grover Cleveland. Hotel associations such as AAHOA and the American Hotel & Lodging Association have congratulated him on his victory.