Skip to content

Search

Latest Stories

Congress passes COVID-19 relief bill, but Trump threatens veto

The bill contains PPP funding and more, but the president wants higher payments to individual Americans

A $900 BILLION COVID-19 relief bill has passed in Congress and hotel associations say it contains funding desperately needed by the industry. However, Tuesday evening President Donald Trump cast doubt on whether he would sign the bill.

The Senate and House both passed the bill Monday, bringing to around $3 trillion the total amount of aid the federal government has issued during the pandemic, according to the Tax Foundation. The bill itself is attached to a $1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill and will include payments to qualified individuals of up to $600 each along with expanded unemployment benefits.


For hotels and other businesses, the relief bill offers $284 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program, $20 billion for new economic injury disaster loan program grants and extension and expansion of the Employee Retention Tax Credit through July 1, 2021, while increasing the refundable payroll tax credit from a maximum of $5,000 to $14,000.

President Trump was expected to sign the bill into law, but instead Tuesday night he took to Twitter to threaten to veto it.

“The bill they are now planning to send back to my desk is much different than anticipated,” Trump said. “It really is a disgrace.”

He went on to list a series of items supposedly included in the omnibus bill with the implication that they represented waste, including millions of dollars in foreign aid, money for federal facilities such as the Kennedy Center and the Smithsonian Museum that are currently closed and more. He also said the bill would give more money to undocumented workers than Americans.

Trump insisted that Congress increase the amount of the stimulus payments to individuals to $2,000 each, or $4,000 for couples. He also wanted an extension of a tax deduction included for restaurants that would otherwise sunset in two years.

“Congress found plenty of money for foreign countries, lobbyists, and special interests while sending the bare minimum to the American people who need it,” the president said. “I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000 or $4,000 for a couple. I’m also asking Congress to immediately get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary items from this legislation and to send me a suitable bill or else the next administration will have to deliver a COVID relief package.”

While the package is only a short-term solution and more will be needed soon in the beginning of the new year, AAHOA, the American Hotel & Lodging Association and the U.S. Travel Association endorsed it. The associations said the bill would save many hotels from having to shut down by the end of the year.

"For hoteliers, the most significant components in this package include a second round of PPP funding to help keep employees on payroll during the most difficult time of year,” said Cecil Staton, AAHOA president and CEO. “We also particularly appreciate that congressional leaders understood the unique challenges faced by hoteliers and provided an increase in the PPP loan amounts to our industry. In addition to addressing payroll challenges, this bill also includes critical banking relief to enable hoteliers to defer mortgage payments for the near term.”

Staton also cited the year-long extension for troubled debt restructuring and the EIDL program funding as vital to preventing hotel closings and foreclosures.

"In these most challenging times for hotels in our nation’s history, we appreciate the bipartisanship displayed by congressional leadership and members across the country. We welcome this spirit to continue into the new year,” Staton said. “Today is a big step in the right direction to helping in the survival of the lodging industry. We look forward to continuing this engagement to ensure our voices continued to be heard.”

Chip Rogers, AHLA president and CEO, cited the same elements of the bill in his statement.

“This short-term relief package is a vital step toward helping the hotel industry survive this crisis. The proposed measure provides temporary relief over the next few months and will help thousands of hotels stay open and retain employees,” he said. “We look forward to working with Congress and the new administration on a longer-term stimulus package that will ensure our industry survives and is well positioned to help the country recover economically once the public health threat subsides.”

USTA, which has issued statements pressing for the relief bill recently, also welcomed the bipartisan agreement and passage of the bill.

“Seeing this bill make it across the finish line is a huge relief after months of struggle,” said Roger Dow USTA president and CEO. “This legislation is a lifeline for businesses and workers who have been hanging on by a thread. More than four million travel jobs have been lost this year, and this package includes long-needed provisions to help employers keep their lights on—a second draw on PPP funds for the hardest-hit businesses, eligibility for non-profit destination marketing organizations, assistance to airports and concessionaires as well as airlines, and enhancements to the Employee Retention Tax Credit, among many others.”

More for you

Peachtree Group's Residence Inn by Marriott under construction in downtown San Antonio, topping out milestone reached, June 2025

Peachtree tops out San Antonio Residence Inn

Peachtree Hotel to Open in Summer 2026 with 117 Extended-Stay Rooms

PEACHTREE GROUP HELD a “topping out” for its Residence Inn by Marriott in downtown San Antonio, Texas, marking completion of the structural phase of the 10-story, 117-room hotel. The property, co-developed with Austin-based Merritt Development Group, is scheduled to open in summer 2026.

The extended-stay hotel will be owned by Peachtree and managed by its hospitality management division, the company said in a statement.

Keep ReadingShow less
San Francisco museum to open Indo-American hotelier exhibit in 2026 honoring Indian American pioneers
Photo courtesy of Beth LaBerge/KQED

Tenderloin Museum plans Indian hotelier exhibit

What is the Indo-American Hotelier Exhibit in San Francisco?

THE TENDERLOIN MUSEUM in San Francisco is launching the Indo-American Hotelier History Exhibit, the first permanent U.S. exhibition of its kind. The exhibit, opening in 2026 as part of the museum’s expansion, will document Indian immigrants’ role in the U.S. hospitality industry, beginning in San Francisco’s Tenderloin.

It will document the role of Indian immigrants in the U.S. hospitality industry, beginning in San Francisco’s Tenderloin, AAHOA said in a statement.

Keep ReadingShow less
Auro Hotels Launches $2M 'Rama Legacy' Scholarship

Auro launches $2M scholarship for employees’ children

What is the Rama Legacy Scholarship by Auro Hotels?

AURO HOTELS LAUNCHED its $2 million Rama Legacy Scholarship endowment for employees' children, continuing a tradition started by company co-founder H.P. Rama. Several students received scholarships in this inaugural year, reflecting the company’s view that its success depends on its people.

As founding chairman of AAHOA and past chairman of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, Rama believes the hospitality industry’s strength lies in developing its people, Auro said in a statement. He established the first scholarship under his family’s name in 1998.

Keep ReadingShow less
Philadelphia Tops Bed Bugs Infestation List Again in 2025

Report: Philadelphia tops bed bug list again

Which U.S. Cities Have the Worst Bed Bug Problems in 2025?

PHILADELPHIA LEADS THE list of the 50 most bed bug-infested U.S. cities for the second year in a row, followed by New York City and Cleveland-Akron, according to Terminix. The results show a rise in bed bug activity, with cities in Ohio, Texas, Florida, California and Pennsylvania making up much of the list, driven by travel, urban density and housing conditions.

Terminix's list of the 50 most bed bug-infested U.S. cities is based on 2024 service data from more than 300 branches nationwide.

Keep ReadingShow less
Colliers: US hotel assets improve in 2025, led by Northeast and Central regions

Report: Hospitality health up on travel, events

What are the key findings from Colliers’ 2025 Hospitality Outlook?

THE FINANCIAL HEALTH of hospitality assets, especially in the northeast and central regions, is improving, driven by leisure travel and the return of conferences and events, according to Colliers. U.S. hotels saw RevPAR rise 2.4 percent, ADR 1.9 percent and a slight uptick in occupancy from April 2024 to March 2025.

Colliers' 2025 Hospitality Outlook report found that some regions are still returning to pre-pandemic demand levels, while others are reaching prior cyclical peaks.

Keep ReadingShow less