AAHOA Congratulates Congressmen Ami Bera and George Holding on their Selections as Co-Chairmen of the India Caucus

ATLANTA, Dec. 11, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) congratulates Congressmen Ami Bera, D-Calif., and George Holding, R-N.C., on their selections as the co-chairmen of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans for the 114th Congress.

The Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans is a bipartisan committee that advocates for the Indian-American community and establishes a channel for relations with the Indian government.
"Congressman Bera has been an exceptional leader and role model for our community and with this new and distinguished position, he will have a heightened profile to advocate our interests," said AAHOA Chairman Pratik Patel. "We are very proud that an Indian American will guide the Caucus and represent us on Capitol Hill."

Congressman Bera is the first Indian American to lead what has become the largest country-based caucus in the House of Representatives and the only AAHOA member to serve in Congress.

Congressman Holding has developed a close relationship with AAHOA members and the Indian American community in North Carolina and across the country. In December 2013, Congressman Holding led a congressional delegation trip to India where he furthered diplomatic relations between leaders of the two countries.

"Congressman Holding has taken a proactive approach in outreach to hoteliers and Indian Americans in North Carolina," said AAHOA North Carolina Regional Director Pratik Bhakta. "He has also demonstrated a unique passion for India and developing relationships with the Indian government. We are eager to work more closely with him in his new role."

Members of the 114th Congress will be sworn in on Jan. 6, 2015.

Founded in 1989, AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world, with more than 13,900 small business owner-members. AAHOA members own more than 20,000 properties, amounting to more than 40 percent of all hotels in the United States, and employ nearly 600,000 workers, accounting for over $9.4 billion in payroll annually.