Jul 31, 2020
Your advocacy may never be more important than it is today
As I mentioned in the NYSTIA newsletter last week, congressional action in the current session is vital to our industry and will shape our destiny for the foreseeable future. The debate in congress is at a crossroads, and as constituents of the Honorable Charles Schumer, Minority Leader of the Senate, we have a unique responsibility to speak out NOW in support of measures that will affect not only New York, but the entire nation. It will take just a few minutes of your time to make a difference for the entire industry.
You can review the U.S. Travel letter linked here and this morning's email from Angie Briggs at U.S. Travel (see below) for background. I urge you to use this sign on form by 3 PM today to support New York's economic recovery.
From Angie Briggs, U.S. Travel
Good morning, New York Colleagues-
Thank you for all the engagement over the past several months and the numerous letters you have already sent up to Capitol Hill.
This one may be the most critical. We are working to urge Leader Schumer that the expanded eligibility for PPP to ALL DMOs with 300 or fewer employees should be maintained in the final relief package. Negotiations are beginning and the urgency with which we need Congress to act and the importance of help for our industry has never been greater. We would love to have a robust list of signers on the attached letter (please also know we welcome edits). We also encourage you to ask businesses in your communities who are non-DMOs to join together and sign as well.
I should also note that there were ongoing negotiations last tonight and into today to negotiate a “skinny" package that may not include much beyond unemployment benefits and an eviction moratorium. We hope that this is just a negotiating tactic, but we know that this would be catastrophic so if you are able to also reach out directly to Leader Schumer first thing this morning and urge that any agreement must at a minimum include PPP expanded eligibility for DMOs we would appreciate it tremendously. (jon_cardinal@schumer.senate.
Finally, we also advocate to advance a piece of legislation – the STEP Act – championed by Senators Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Blunt (R-MO) in the final package as well. The STEP Act would provide for up to $10B in EDA grants specifically for travel promotion, money that we know is very much needed at this time.
Please let us know if you have any questions. Tori Barnes is also happy to jump on the phone at any time to talk through this request or answer any questions about the process generally.
Time is critical and we would urge sending this letter first thing this morning to all NY DMOs and travel businesses that benefit from tourism. Once we have signers, we can send up to the Hill directly as well to the Leader's office to amplify. Please circulate the letter to DMOs in your state and travel businesses with this sign on form. We are looking for signees by 3 PM today, Friday, July 31, so we can add to the letter and send up to the Hill by end of day.
Thank you so much,
Angie
Angie Briggs | Vice President, Industry Relations
U.S. Travel Association 1100 New York Avenue, NW | Suite 450 | Washington, D.C. 20005