This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly digest of regulatory developments, legislative discussions and other government-related news concerning hotels, restaurants, casinos, gaming operations, event and sports venues, cruise lines, theme parks, ski resorts, outdoor spaces, RV and caravan parks, and all hospitality, travel and tourism professionals. Once a week, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

Want to track GR news in adjacent industries related? Don’t miss this week’s updates in Arts & Culture.

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Dates: 2026-02-02 to 2026-02-08

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🏛️ This Week's Congressional Calendar
• 🇺🇸 Federal Government News
• 📜 Legislative Updates
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

This Week's Congressional Calendar

• Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Business Meeting: The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee will meet on February 11, 2026, in Capitol 216 to consider multiple bills related to Amtrak passenger rail, orbital debris, broadband funding, geolocation recommendations, Merchant Marine Academy athletics, programmable cloud labs, satellite license processing, FAA safety reviews, and Coast Guard matters.
• House Natural Resources Committee Markup of Landmark and Park Bills: The House Natural Resources Committee will hold a markup on February 11, 2026, in Longworth 1324 to review several bills, including those concerning the General George C. Marshall House designation, America's National Churchill Museum, National Emergency Medical Services Memorial, wildfire solutions, administrative reviews for broadband deployment, Apostle Islands, grasslands grazing, and Chiricahua National Park.
• House Veterans' Affairs Committee Markup on Veterans Benefits Expansion: On February 12, 2026, the House Veterans' Affairs Committee will conduct a markup session for bills related to veterans benefits expansion, Fisher House availability, community care scheduling, representing seniors at VA, and caregiver reeducation, reemployment, and retirement.

Federal Government News

White House Temporarily Increases Quota for Beef Imports Amid Supply Shortages

President Donald J. Trump issued a proclamation on February 6, 2026, addressing U.S. beef supply challenges. Drought, wildfires, and import restrictions from Mexico resulted in record-low cattle inventory and elevated beef prices, with ground beef averaging $6.69 per pound in December 2025. To mitigate supply issues and price increases, the President invoked trade authority to raise the tariff-rate quota for lean beef trimmings by 80,000 metric tons for 2026, allocated to Argentina. These measures will be managed in four quarterly tranches, with the Secretary of Agriculture responsible for ongoing monitoring of domestic supply and demand. The proclamation permits relevant agencies to implement adjustments and overrides conflicting provisions in earlier proclamations or orders.

Sources: www.whitehouse.gov

FSIS Maintains Most Inspection and Service Fees for 2026, Reduces Laboratory Services Rate

On February 6, 2026, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced the rates for voluntary, overtime, holiday inspection and identification, certification, laboratory services, and export application fees for meat, poultry, and egg products establishments. Rates for most services remain at 2025 levels while new rates for laboratory services have been reduced, effective January 11, 2026. FSIS is conducting a comprehensive review of rate formulas to ensure future fee structures accurately reflect service costs. The basetime, overtime, and holiday calculations for 2026 would have shown material increases; however, FSIS determined that holding rates steady avoids unnecessary burden on industry while the review is underway. Laboratory service rates, recalculated using updated variables, now stand at $92.80 per hour.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Annual Business Survey Updated for Reference Year 2025; BERD Data Integrated

The U.S. Census Bureau submitted an information collection request for the Annual Business Survey (ABS) to the Office of Management and Budget, inviting feedback for an additional 30 days. ABS now integrates former Business Enterprise Research and Development (BERD) survey content; BERD will not be fielded separately. The survey, conducted jointly with the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES), covers business demographics, research and development, innovation, and emerging technologies. The ABS is adaptive, with content rotated based on relevance. Moving forward, the updated survey name omits collection year, using the data reference year in all materials. Approximately 230,000 respondents are required to participate, with an average response time of one hour and seventeen minutes.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Department of Transportation Seeks Input for National Transportation Digital Infrastructure Strategy

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology issued a Request for Information on February 4, 2026, soliciting stakeholder perspectives on research directions to establish national strategy for Transportation Digital Infrastructure (TDI). Input is sought across research, system architecture, interoperability, artificial intelligence and automation, as well as data governance, privacy, and cybersecurity. Respondents are invited to submit insights before March 6, 2026, focusing on priorities such as integrating TDI into infrastructure processes, leveraging existing programs, and aligning with federal frameworks. Confidential business information should not be included within submissions.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 Signed into Law

On February 3, 2026, President Donald J. Trump signed H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026. The Act provides funding for federal agencies through the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and contains related authorizations covering multiple government functions and programs.

Sources: www.whitehouse.gov

Legislative Updates

Airline Passenger Compensation Act of 2025 Advances

Bill 6820, titled the Airline Passenger Compensation Act of 2025, addresses compensation for air travelers. The measure is currently referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation for further consideration.

Sources: www.congress.gov

Securing Smart Investments in our Ports Act Referred to Maritime Subcommittee

Bill 6866, the Securing Smart Investments in our Ports Act, focuses on port infrastructure improvements. The bill has been referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.

Sources: www.congress.gov

Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act Progresses

Bill 1028, Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act, was ordered reported (amended) in the House by a vote of 15-10. The bill addresses policy for women in Olympic and amateur sports and is pending further legislative action.

Sources: www.congress.gov

What We're Reading This Week

• Employees Enter an Era of ‘Travelscrimping’: Travelers and employees are adopting cost-saving measures in response to rising travel expenses.
• Where to Eat, Sleep and Shop in Turin, Italy: Turin's hospitality sector features a blend of new hotels, established restaurants, and curated shopping destinations.
• ServeRetail Expands Nearshore Customer Experience Delivery in Latin America to Support 24/7 Coverage for U.S. Retailers: ServeRetail strengthens customer service operations for U.S. retailers with Latin America-based coverage.
• Airbnb and short-term rentals provide little relief for stretched World Cup travelers - The Athletic: Accommodation options such as Airbnb and short-term rentals remain scarce and costly for World Cup attendees.
• Rural care could see impact from tighter visa rules: Changes in H1B visa rules may affect access to rural care, influencing labor supply and service coverage.
• Landlord Accused of Offering Rent-Stabilized Apartments as Hotel Rooms: A landlord faces accusations of converting rent-stabilized apartments into hotel rooms in New York.

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