WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Jerry Moran (R-KS), co-chairs of the Senate Travel and Tourism Caucus and members of the Senate Commerce Committee, introduced the bipartisan Hotel Fees Transparency Act. This legislation will improve transparency for consumers by requiring anyone advertising a hotel room or short-term rental to clearly show up front the final price a customer will pay to book lodging.
“Too often, Americans making reservations online are being met with hidden fees that make it difficult to compare prices and understand the true cost of an overnight stay,” said Klobuchar. “This bipartisan legislation would help improve transparency so that travelers can make informed decisions.”
“High prices are forcing Kansans to account for all their expenses and many cannot afford to pay for hidden fees at hotels or short-term lodging,” said Moran. “This commonsense legislation requires hotels to be straightforward about all their fees so consumers aren’t saddled with unexpected costs on their check.”
As co-chair of the Congressional Tourism Caucus, Klobuchar has long led efforts to support the travel and tourism industry. As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee and Chairwoman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights, Klobuchar has been a leader in the fight to protect consumers.
Last year, Klobuchar received the U.S. Travel Association’s 2022 Travel Champion Award. The Travel Champion Award is an annual honor presented to Members of Congress that work to boost travel to and within the United States.
In March 2022, the Restoring Brand USA Act, Klobuchar and former Senator Roy Blunt’s bipartisan legislation to provide support for Brand USA was signed into law by President Biden. Brand USA—a public-private partnership that promotes tourism to the United States—is not funded by taxpayer money, but rather through international visitors and private sector funding.
In December 2022, Klobuchar’s bipartisan legislation with former Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO), the Protecting Tourism in the United States Act, to support and promote the travel and tourism industry, was signed into law. The legislation directs the U.S. Department of Commerce, in consultation with the United States Travel and Tourism Advisory Board and other relevant federal agencies, to study the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on different sectors of the travel and tourism industry. The bill also requires the Commerce Department to provide policy recommendations for promoting and assisting the travel and tourism industry.
Klobuchar also led the Sustaining Tourism Enterprises During the COVID–19 Pandemic (STEP) Act, which was signed into law. This bipartisan bill, which Klobuchar introduced alongside Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and former Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO), provides economic support for organizations involved in promoting and hosting tourism and travel.
The Hotel Fees Transparency Act is supported by the American Hotel and Lodging Association.
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