[Page H7999]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         END HIDDEN TRAVEL FEES

  (Ms. JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this summer, we witnessed a record 
number of Americans take the opportunity to travel. Unfortunately, this 
also meant a record number of travelers were subjected to hidden fees 
charged by hotels, motels, and other places of accommodation.
  It is projected that, in 2019 alone, over $3 billion in revenue will 
be collected from consumers due to these deceptive hidden fees.
  That is why I, along with my colleague Mr. Fortenberry from Nebraska, 
have introduced H.R. 4489, the Hotel Advertising Transparency Act. This 
bill would require the prices regularly advertised by hotels and online 
travel agencies to include all mandatory fees that will be charged to a 
consumer, excluding taxes.
  Mr. Speaker, consumers deserve full transparency when making their 
travel plans. They should be able to enjoy their vacations without 
being ripped off and financially burdened with almost twice as much as 
the room that had been advertised.

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