a leadership role with all concerned with tourism, recreation, and national heritage preservation.

And in our role of consumer advocacy, we would add an eighth policy goal:

Afford the individual tourist-traveler the benefits of Federal supervision-both in providing consumer information and education, and, most importantly, providing consumer protection in the event of noncompliance, fraud, or misrepresentation. The consumer must have avenues to redress which can be guaranteed him only by Federal law. Therefore, it is essential that Congress provide consumers with the basis for such action, if required. I do not mean to suggest the necessity-at the present time-of a regulatory agency, such as the CAB or the ICC, but, rather, a type of Cabinet-level coordinating council capable of supplying the standards and operational guidance so sorely needed in the current absence of a clearly defined national tourism policy.

The Public Citizen Visitors Center is, as you probably know, Mr. Chairman, a facility established by Ralph Nader in 1974 to provide visitors to our Capital-as well as residents of Washington, D.C.with a diversity of interesting ways to learn about, and contribute to, their Federal Government. Our motto is "Don't just look at Washington-look into it," with the hope that visitors will make their visit to the Federal City a satisfying, personal experience in citizenship.

To implement this goal, the PCVC Capitol Hill tour program gave 1,300 visitors a close-up view of the U.S. Congress in 1977 and, so far in 1978, over 1,500 people have taken this 312-hour walking tour, conducted daily whenever Congress is in session. College interns, trained by experienced volunteers, act as guides for groups averaging eight persons. They attend congressional hearings in both the House and Senate, observe their legislators in action from the visitors galleries in the Capitol, visit at least one Member of Congress, tour the Supreme Court, and conclude with an historical look at the Capitol itself. The emphasis, of course, is to enable the participants to gain a view of the Federal legislative process unavailable in such detail in any other Washington tour.

The PCVC coordinates the Public Citizen Forum-a monthly important provocative news event which encourages open discussion between high-ranking Federal officials, concerned citizens, and the news media. Recent speakers include Attorney General Bell, HEW Secretary Califano, Secretary of Agriculture Bergland, HUD Secretary Harris, Treasury Secretary Blumenthal, and former Postmaster General Bailar. Just this month, three retiring Members of CongressSenator James Abourezk, Congressman John Moss, and Congresman Lloyd Meeds-spoke to the forum on the intriguing subject: "The Rites and Wrongs of Congress." As you may imagine, Mr. Chairman, this was a session which provided both light and heat. The forums are, of course, nonprofit and are open to the public.

In addition to publishing a biweekly calendar titled "Inside the Capitol," which notes congressional committee schedules, Federal regulatory agency meetings, public interest functions, consumer resources, and Washington area cultural and recreational activities, the PCVC also distributes a variety of visitor information brochures; presents

documentary films, speakers, symposia, and press conferences in its 55-seat auditorium where programs for visitor groups are arranged to fit particular needs. Lest we be accused of bureaucratic excesses, the PCVC conducted these many-faceted activities during 1977 with a budget of $29,385. I think of Senator Cannon's remarks about the $60,000 budget of a small group of travel experts in Commerce.

I have risked boring you with these operational details because I wished to emphasize that the Public Citizen Visitors Center combines its function as a supplier of tourist services with its yet-unmentioned role as a consumer clearinghouse for the Nader organization. In this context, the PCVC represents the traveler's viewpoint as a consumer. Wearing this hat, we became acutely aware of the dark side of the tourism moon: the bumpings from scheduled airlines-incredibly, despite stringent penalties levied by the CAB, 138,346 passengers were denied confirmed reservations on U.S. airlines in 1977; and, astonishingly, this total is 5,000 more than were bumped in 1976-the "No room at the inn" complaints received from visitors to Washington who thought they had hotel or motel rooms awaiting their arrival; the tourists who believe Washington restaurant prices are astronomical; the out-of-State motorists who are convinced they receive a disproportionate amount of traffic tickets issued by the District of Columbia police force; the unwary travelers who are assured "first-class" accommodations but receive something rather less than their expectation. (Incidentally, the phrase "first class" is probably the most broadly interpreted usage of words in the entire tourist industry and is typical of many areas where standardization is mandatory.)

To continue, we receive complaints about tour brochures which promise the Garden of Eden and deliver something resembling a patch of weeds; rooms on shipboard described as "spacious" but which are, in reality, no larger than broom closets; "air-conditioned," tropical cottages which are, literally, cooled by the prevailing breezes—not by air-conditioners; "spacious" reservations on charter flights where the passengers are packed in like sardines in a can. Is there no "truth in advertising" where the tourist industry is concerned?

By and large, the reputable tour agencies and established organizations such at DATO do a fine job in establishing standards (and adhering to them). They are self-regulatory and, since they are anxious for repeat business and intent upon keeping their hard-earned good reputations, they usually are able to achieve reasonable settlements for aggrieved consumers. However, it is surprising to read of the picayune adjustments offered by large air, steamship, and hotel operators to some of their customers who have been victimized by poor goods or services, or both. These are the instances which cry for some sort of Federal coordinating mechanism which would give redress where obvious wrongs had been inflicted.

Perhaps the most vulnerable traveler is the tourist from a foreign country who is doubly penalized by not knowing where, how, or to whom to turn for assistance. I can vividly recall a tourist from London whose luggage was broken into at one of the local bus depots and his valuable camera was stolen. Receiving no satisfaction from the depot manager, he walked to the PCVC and requested our assistance. Three months later, he was mailed a check which partially compensated him

for his loss. But what about the thousands of foreign tourists who require assistance of this sort and can't avail themselves of a Nader office?

On the bright side, I realize that, in appearing before this committee, I am "preaching to the choir" when I advocate the immediate adoption of a national tourism policy. It is astonishing to contemplate an industry which generates revenues and incomes exceeding $100 billion a year, which is so unregulated and so much in need of an interdependent. cohesive, productive policy. Little has been done to explicitly define an appropriate role for the Federal Government in tourism or to identify the means by which the Government can respond to the tourism, travel, and recreational needs of both industry and the general public. This committee, under the skillful chairmanship of Senator Inouye, is to be commended for its systematic, detailed approach to the problems involved. Insofar as the consumer section(s) of any pending legislation is concerned, the Nader organization stands ready to provide whatever assistance the committee may request. Thank you, and if you have any questions I will be glad to answer them.

Senator INOUYE. As always, we welcome your assistance. Your viewpoint is always looked upon very seriously. Mr. Ralph Nader is no stranger to the Congress of the United States.

However, I think the record should show that, as indicated by you, 138.346 passengers were denied confirmed reservations. I have no evidence here or documents to suggest that those figures are wrong, but I think the record should be complete in this sense, that during that year our scheduled airlines carried 226 million passengers. If out of 226 million passengers, 138,000 were denied reservations, it's still wrong; but I think those statistics would indicate that the overwhelming numbers were not denied confirmed reservations.

Mr. HORROCKS. True.

Senator IONUYE. It's less than 1 percent.

Mr. HORROCKS. We get the letters, though, Senator, from those 138.000.

Senator INOUYE. I did check on a number of those passengers who have written to me. They may not have been the same as have written to you. But when I investigate, I find that many of them had confirmed reservations on airlines that were struck.

Mr. HORROCKS. Such as Northwest.

Senator INOUYE. You can't fault the airlines who in good faith gave reservations and found themselves being struck.

Second, this committee did communicate with FTC suggesting that agency investigate some of the unscrupulous tour agents that were ripping off the people and, as you know, there was a time when hundreds upon hundreds of Americans were stranded in Europe. There were those within the domestic trade who found themselves stranded in San Francisco or Los Angeles and places like that, but they were, at worst, the exception to the rule; but at that time the FTC found all kinds of excuses not to look into this situation. But I think the record shows, contrary to what you say, that the industry in my mind is overregulated, but in overregulating this industry there's almost a total lack of coordination. I'm not aware of all of the facts involved, but for

the life of me I can't understand why a hotel cannot buy retail meat and must be required to buy wholesale meat.

Mr. HORROCKS. That certainly was a new one to me, too.

Senator INOUYE. I think Ralph Nader should get involved in something like this, and maybe give an assist to the industry. They have all kinds of regulations on highways about signs, but it's never been confirmed that those were effective. So I would hope that your agency would get a bit concerned about some of the complaints that were suggested today because, overall, like in any other activity, even if there are wrongdoers, the vast, vast majority of the members of the industry have done a good job.

Mr. HORROCKS. I agree.

Senator INOUYE. And that's why I just wanted to clarify the record, to say that out of 226 million, 138,346 were denied confirmed reservations-that's bad. but from statistics, it's not bad. I think countrywise, the United States has the best record.

Mr. HORROCKS. We find sort of a domino effect-for want of a nail on the shoe, the battle was lost-the man is bumped which causes him to miss a hotel reservation which makes him go to another airline which makes him late to a business appointment and so forth and so on. and it's an accumulative effect which results in the original complaint burgeoning into maybe half a dozen and impinging on other areas of the tourist industry and inflicting hardship and financial loss to the individual involved for the original sin. So that 138.000, granted, is a small percentage of the overall air passengers, but it multiplies into a great many other grievances.

Senator INOUYE. I would also like to point out that a good proportion of those passengers with confirmed reservations get into that fix because there are a vast number of passengers during the so-called peak periods who make more than one reservation.

Mr. HORROCKS. True. Overbooking is the bête noir.

Senator INOUYE. But these reservations aren't made by the industry. They are made by the consumers.

Mr. HORROCKS. Yes. Consumers are not without fault.

Senator INOUYE. So the industry, in abiding with the law, would find itself holding the bag.

Mr. HORROCKS. They have a pretty sophisticated reservations system now Senator, where you can spot double bookings.

Senator INOUYE. I recall being on a flight about a year ago where when we called in, I was on the wait list and it was booked completely. When I got there, the plane was about two-thirds filled. So I asked what happened. They said, well, we did have reservations. These are all no-shows. So with that type of situation, to just have 138,000, I think we should give the industry a pat on the back. They did a pretty good job.

But seriously, we appreciate your participation today and you, as always, have been very helpful to us.

Mr. HORROCKS. Thank you sir. I would like to add one other thing. In listening to the Assistant Secretary today extol the virtues of Commerce's interest in tourism, we have been putting out a tollfree hotline booklet here which used to include the USTS. They had

a hotline which was called the "Travel Hot Line." Say you wanted to travel from here to Mr. Benefield's hotel in Bloomsburg, Pa., to his Pennsylvania Dutch hotel. They would let you know what route to take, whether the weather was good, any tolls involved, and that sort of thing. It was so successful that they cut it out. They don't have that hotline any more.

Senator INOUYE. That's par for the course.

Mr. HORROCKS. Well, I'm told that they are having budgetary problems, but don't we all?

Senator INOUYE. Well, I thank you again, Mr. Horrocks.

Mr. HORROCKS. My pleasure, sir.

Senator INOUYE. This hearing will stand in recess until 2 o'clock, September 26, 1978.

[Whereupon, at 5:20 p.m., the hearing was recessed, to be reconvened at 2 p.m., September 26, 1978.]