FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 30, 2025
Washington, D.C. — The American Car Rental Association (ACRA), representing the nation’s car rental industry, today urged congressional leaders to immediately pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the federal government open and prevent severe disruption to America’s transportation system and tourism economy.
A government shutdown would create ripple effects across the U.S. travel and tourism sectors, undermining consumer confidence and delaying economic recovery in a fragile year for travel.
“A government shutdown is a self-inflicted wound that puts travelers, workers, and local economies at risk,” said Don Lefeve, President & CEO of ACRA. “Passing a short-term CR gives congressional leaders more time to negotiate while allowing our country to move forward without unnecessary disruption. Congress must act now to prevent avoidable harm to the travel and tourism industry, which millions of Americans rely upon every day.”
While air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers are designated as essential workers and would continue reporting to work, they would do so without immediate pay. Past shutdowns have shown that this leads to low morale, absenteeism, and service disruptions — factors that already strained the U.S. travel system during the 2019 shutdown.
The shutdown would also hurt national parks and tourism. Past shutdowns have forced the closure of most national parks, costing local economies hundreds of millions of dollars in lost visitor spending.
“Small independent rental car operators near national parks are particularly vulnerable to a government shutdown,” added Lefeve. “When parks close or limit services, these businesses see an immediate drop in customers. What should be a busy travel season instead becomes a period of uncertainty and financial strain for operators who are vital to local economies.”
The U.S. tourism economy is already under pressure in 2025 due to reduced inbound international travel and uneven domestic demand. A shutdown would only deepen the divide, hurting lower-income households, small businesses dependent on tourism, and delaying growth opportunities across the travel sector.
About the American Car Rental Association (ACRA):
ACRA is the national trade association representing the U.S. car rental industry, including major brands like Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, Sixt, and Thrifty as well as independent, regional, and franchise operators. Its members collectively manage more than 2.1 million vehicles nationwide, with fleets ranging from 10 to 1 million cars, and employ over 160,000 workers across nearly every county in the United States.
Media Contact:
[email protected]
202-349-9871