By Bianka Emerson

Were you one of the 900,000 passengers expected to travel through Denver International Airport (DEN) during the Fourth of July weekend? Each year, hundreds of thousands of people visit Colorado for the holiday, and others head out. It’s the airport at its busiest, with thousands of workers making sure you get checked-in, your bags are loaded, and you have a safe and comfortable flight.

The number of tourists visiting Colorado has continued to grow. The latest calculations from the Colorado Tourism Office, just released on July 29, show a 2% increase in tourists last year, contributing $28.5 billion to our state. This money goes to local hotels, restaurants and shops, supporting the livelihoods of small business owners in communities across the state.

But there may be a major drop in these numbers in our near future. This level of travel is in danger thanks to a bill known as the “Credit Card Competition Act” or “CCCA.” A favorite of big retailers, the bill will ruin the credit card system and end rewards programs.

At first glance, you may think this will only affect people who use credit card rewards. But it goes way beyond that. One of the top ways people use credit card rewards is to travel. You’ve probably seen ads to sign up for a credit card and get bonus miles or cash back. These rewards help people travel more frequently. But if this bill passes people will fly less — and it’s estimated nearly 10,000 jobs in Colorado will be immediately affected.

This will hurt local businesses, as well as people who work directly for airports or the airlines. DEN alone employs approximately 40,000 people. These jobs have good pay, and sometimes even come with the support of a union. They also don’t always require higher education, providing solid jobs for a wide variety of people. But their existence relies on the steady flow of visitors to Colorado.

Our senators have worked for decades to support the growth of DEN, turning it from a regional airport into an international transportation hub. But this legacy is at risk: airlines, flight attendant unions, pilots’ associations, the Transport Workers Union of America and more signed on to a recent letter noting this bill will directly result in fewer flights and lost revenue.

Phillip A. Washington, DEN’s chief executive, is also concerned this bill will have a negative impact on the travel and hospitality industries in Colorado. Mr. Washington has long understood and advocated on behalf of minority workers in our state, and he knows the importance of these jobs to Denver. This bill’s effect will also go beyond our city — airports in places like Telluride, Durango and Grand Junction are all experiencing growth but will be seriously hurt if this becomes law.

It’s been three years since I and countless others helped create a state affordable housing fund through the passage of Prop 123. As Colorado’s population exploded, it was critical to help people who were getting priced out of the state. This fund has helped to improve affordable housing — but affordable housing alone isn’t going to solve everything. Our leaders also need to protect and support well-paying jobs.

If you dig into it, the only advocates for this bill are big retailers who will take in millions if the CCCA becomes law. They say they’ll share any savings with customers, but we’ve heard that before. I’ll trust my gut on this one and second guess the words of big-box stores.

I’m proud of Colorado and who we are — there are more opportunities than ever for the black community, and many have built successful careers and businesses in the state. But this bill could kill so much of the economic progress we’ve made. Colorado’s U.S. Sens. Michael Bennett and John Hickenlooper have seen how tourists and the dollars they bring help our community, and I hope the CCCA doesn’t pass on their watch.

Bianka Emerson is president of the Colorado Black Women for Political Action.