Dear Senator/Congressman:
I am writing on behalf of the members and Board of the Massachusetts Lodging Association (MLA). As an association, we represent close to 1,000 lodging establishments with 80,000 rooms and 133,000 employees across the Commonwealth – including everything from small Bed and Breakfasts in Provincetown and western Massachusetts to the Sheraton Boston, which is the largest hotel in New England. We are very proud of our contributions to Massachusetts as the third-largest sector of economic activity.
On April 18, the Trump Administration issued an Executive Order entitled “Buy American, Hire American” which is purported to bolster protections for certain American-made goods and calls for a review of certain legal visa work programs currently established under federal law.As you may be aware, earlier this summer the delay by the U.S. Department of Labor in approving H2B Visa applications left many businesses on Cape Cod and the Berkshires without the seasonal help from overseas workers that they rely upon during the busy summer months. The newest revelation that the White House may be intentionally delaying or eliminating J1 Cultural Exchange Visas as well is very troubling as it would mean even more difficulty for the tourism industry in Massachusetts.
The J1 Cultural Exchange Visa, which provides approximately 300,000 travel visas, allows foreign students to spend up to four months living and working temporary jobs in the U.S. Many MLA members rely upon workers using the J1 Summer Work Travel program to help supplement their permanent U.S. workforce, again especially during the busy summer months.
Already this summer, many businesses were forced to close days of the week that they otherwise would have been open, simply because they did not have enough workers to meet the demand. Overtime costs in these businesses were excessive and continual turnover of burned-out workers means that service and customer satisfaction were compromised in some locations.
To also remove the possibility of the J1 workforce for next summer may mean that some businesses will have to permanently close or drastically reduce their operation. Neither of these options is good for the economy or future of Cape Cod and the Berkshires.
I urge you to weigh in against this unnecessary and short-sighted proposal, and to use any means available to you to protect the future of Massachusetts’ tourism economy.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.