NBTA Evaluates 2008 U.S. Government Action
Offers Recommendations to Obama Administration
ALEXANDRIA, VA, January 22, 2009 - The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) released its 2008 Business Travel Government Affairs Report Card and 2009 Recommendations today. On the day after the 44th President of the United States was sworn into office, the NBTA report card analyses 2008 measures taken on the most important government issues affecting corporate travel and offers recommended actions for the new Congress and Administration.
The overall grade earned by the performance of Congress and the Administration in 2008 is a C. NBTA graded the progress made in 2008 in three categories:
International Facilitation (B),
Domestic Facilitation (C+), and
Economy and Taxes (D).
NBTA graded actions taken on the following issues and made recommendations for 2009 on each:
ISSUE / GRADE
Federal Aviation Administration Funding / D-
International Registered Traveler / A-
Terrorist Watch List and Passenger Redress / C
Traveler Taxes / D
Airline Performance and Aviation Congestion / C
Visa Processing and the Visa Waiver Program / B
Domestic U.S. Registered Traveler / C+
Model Ports of Entry Program / D
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) / B
Energy and Climate Change / Added for 2009
Transportation Infrastructure / Added for 2009
Bill Connors, NBTA Executive Director and COO, said, "As a new U.S. Administration takes office this week, NBTA is pleased to offer this government affairs analysis and recommendations to Congress when considering legislations and proposed actions on issues vital to the corporate travel industry. We look forward to working with the Obama Administration on these issues and others that may arise in the coming year, and are hopeful our concerns will be addressed to ensure the quality and safe facilitation of business travel."
Members of the media should contact NBTA Communications at pr@nbta.org to request a copy of the full report card.
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