Industry Leaders Pursue Mtgs. Agenda On Capitol Hill

More than 320 people from 11 meetings industry associations met with their congressional representatives on Capitol Hill earlier this month to seek support for restoring the tax deductibility of business meals, committing public funds for a National Tourist Office and ensuring traveler safety.

During a strategy breakfast at the Renaissance Washington on March 6, the leaders of the fourth annual Meetings Industry Legislative Action Day exhorted participants to don the mantle of citizen lobbyists taking part in the democratic process by expressing the story of the industry to their elected representatives in personal terms.

Kitty Ratcliffe, president of Meeting Professionals International, said the main job was "telling Congress that the meetings industry means jobs."

With 100 more participants than last year and the sponsorship of several more associations, momentum is building for the annual effort to raise the industry's profile among the nation's lawmakers. "Five years ago, if we had called this meeting, no one would have come," Ratcliffe said.

Dave Evans, vice president and general sales manager of Westin Hotels & Resorts and this year's program chair, praised MPI for having "the vision and foresight" to initiate and support this event. Evans also recognized the participation of the other associations, which included the American Society of Association Executives, the Convention Liaison Council, the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International, the International Association of Convention & Visitor Bureaus, the International Association for Exposition Management, the National Speakers Association, the Professional Convention Management Association and the Society of Incentive Travel Executives.

While noting the growth, Evans conceded that this year's participants had fewer chances for success than last year's, who sought support for legislation that created the NTO to replace the defunct U.S. Travel and Tourism Administration.

Steve Hacker, IAEM's executive vice president, went even further in warning the delegation that they should expect their elected officials to give them little positive feedback, but explained that their efforts would "lay the predicate for future success."

Regarding the effort to raise business meal tax deductions from 50 percent, Hacker said, "there isn't the remotest chance of seeing a gain in deductibility to 80 percent, never mind 100 percent." In fact, Hacker said, it is far more likely that there will be further reductions. "The government needs more sources of revenue as it continues its efforts for deficit reduction," he said. "Still, we have to pretend we don't know that. Legislators want to make most people happy."

Despite the long odds, pending legislation is aimed at increasing the business meal deduction. In the House, bill H.R. 628, sponsored by Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) and co-sponsored by Reps. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) and Martin Frost (D-Texas), seeks 100 percent deductibility. The Senate bill, S. 144, sponsored by Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) and co-sponsored by Sens. Craig Thomas (R-Wy.), Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Ted Stevens (R-Ark.) would reinstate 80 percent deductibility.

Hacker and other association leaders expressed their support for President Clinton's intervention in the American Airlines strike, describing it as a matter of national economic security. They noted that AA accounts for 20 percent of the nation's lift capacity and that the mediation council's recommendations, which were due at press time, must be met by April 15 to avoid a strike.

MPI's chief executive officer, Ed Griffin, said delegates should urge Congress to step in should a strike come "to keep meetings industry jobs from being lost."

Griffin also told participants to prepare congressional reps for the introduction of legislation later this year to provide funding to market the United States. He noted that the Travel Industry Association already is spending $750,000 to support the National Tourist Office, but with the average budget for countries with competitive inbound tourism campaigns at about $100 million, funding from both the private and public sectors will be needed. The NTO leadership will hold a meeting next month to focus on soliciting the private sector for further funding, an effort it wants to undertake before it submits any requests to Congress.