WASHINGTON – The Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) acknowledged Sen. Chuck Grassley as a “Friend of the Hotelier” with an award presented to him for his “dedicated efforts on behalf of small business owners” at its fall advocacy conference.

“Since I travel all over Iowa every year, I stay in plenty of hotels, and I can attest to the high level of hospitality I receive wherever I go,” Grassley said during his keynote address. “You all deserve tremendous credit as small business owners and employers…My job as a United States senator is to make sure policy out of Congress supports the jobs and economic development your members provide. A big part of that job is conveying to the executive branch that those putting out regulations need to understand the real world effects before they act. Too often, the federal bureaucracy operates in a vacuum.”

Grassley spoke about federal labor regulations and the need for appropriate tax reform. After his speech, Grassley took questions from members of the audience.

AAHOA was founded in in 1989 and is the largest hotel owners association in the world. AAHOA members own more than 20,000 properties amounting to more than 40 percent of all hotels in the United States. AAHOA has 47 members in Iowa who own approximately 70 hotels across the state, employing hundreds of Iowans.

“We’re honored to have one of the most distinguished members of the Senate to speak at our advocacy conference,” said Chip Rogers, president and CEO of AAHOA. “Senator Grassley is a champion for common sense in Congress, something that our members appreciate.”

Grassley is a leading advocate for small business owners in the United States Senate, fighting to limit harmful federal regulations that stifle economic growth and hamper job creation. Grassley is working with his colleagues to pass the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, which would require a direct vote in Congress on major new regulations. Grassley also introduced the Sunshine in Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act, which would help ensure that those most affected by new regulations have a seat at the table.

Left to right: Bhavesh Patel, Vice Chair of AAHOA; Chip Rogers, President and CEO; Bruce Patel, Chair; Chuck Grassley, U.S. Senator; Jagruti Panwala, Secretary; HP Patel, Treasurer

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