[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1583 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1583

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a refundable tax 
     credit for recreational travel costs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 25, 2001

  Mr. Nelson of Florida introduced the following bill; which was read 
             twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a refundable tax 
     credit for recreational travel costs, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Travel and Tourism Promotion Act of 
2001''.

                        TITLE I--TAX PROVISIONS

SEC. 2. CONSUMER TRAVEL TAX CREDIT.

    (a) In General.--Subpart C of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to refundable personal 
credits) is amended by redesignating section 35 as section 36 and 
inserting after section 34 the following:

``SEC. 35. CONSUMER TRAVEL CREDIT.

    ``(a) Allowance of Credit.--In the case of an individual, there 
shall be allowed as a credit against the tax imposed by this subtitle 
for the taxable year an amount equal to the qualified consumer travel 
expenses which are paid or incurred by the taxpayer during the taxable 
year.
    ``(b) Maximum Credit.--The credit allowed to a taxpayer under 
subsection (a) for any taxable year shall not exceed $500 ($1000, in 
the case of a joint return), reduced by the amount of credit allowed 
under subsection (a) for all preceding taxable years.
    ``(c) Qualified Consumer Travel Expenses.--For purposes of this 
section--
            ``(1) In general.--The term `qualified consumer travel 
        expenses' means reasonable expenses in connection with a 
        qualifying personal trip for--
                    ``(A) travel by aircraft, rail, watercraft, or 
                commercial motor vehicle, and
                    ``(B) lodging while away from home at any 
                commercial lodging facility.
        Such term does not include expenses for meals, entertainment, 
        amusement, or recreation.
            ``(2) Qualifying personal trip.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `qualifying personal 
                trip' means leisure travel within the United States 
                which is taken on or after October 1, 2001, and before 
                January 1, 2003.
                    ``(B) Only personal travel included.--Such term 
                shall not include travel if, without regard to this 
                section, any expenses in connection with such travel 
                are deductible in connection with a trade or business 
                or activity for the production of income.
                    ``(C) United states.--The term `United States' 
                includes the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and a 
                possession of the United States (as defined in section 
                936).
            ``(3) Commercial lodging facility.--The term `commercial 
        lodging facility' includes any hotel, motel, resort, rooming 
        house, or campground
    ``(d) Special Rules.--
            ``(1) Denial of credit to dependents.--No credit shall be 
        allowed under this section to any individual with respect to 
        whom a deduction under section 151 is allowable to another 
        taxpayer for a taxable year beginning in the calendar year in 
        which such individual's taxable year begins.
            ``(2) Expenses must be substantiated.--No credit shall be 
        allowed by subsection (a) unless the taxpayer substantiates by 
        adequate records or by sufficient evidence corroborating the 
        taxpayer's own statement the amount of the expenses described 
        in subsection (c)(1).
    ``(e) Denial of Double Benefit.--No deduction shall be allowed 
under this chapter for any expense for which credit is allowed under 
this section.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Paragraph (2) of section 1324(b) of title 31, United 
        States Code, is amended by inserting before the period ``, or 
        from section 35 of such Code''.
            (2) The table of sections for subpart C of part IV of 
        subchapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
        is amended by striking the last item and inserting the 
        following new items:

                              ``Sec. 35. Consumer travel credit.
                              ``Sec. 36. Overpayments of tax.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to amounts paid on or after the date of enactment of this Act, 
and before January 1, 2003.

             TITLE II--TRAVEL AND TOURISM PROMOTION BUREAU

SEC. 21. UNITED STATES TRAVEL AND TOURISM PROMOTION BUREAU.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the Department of 
Commerce a United States Travel and Tourism Promotion Bureau (in this 
title referred to as the ``Bureau'').
    (b) Purpose.--The Bureau shall--
            (1) work to help restore consumer confidence in travel in 
        the two years following the September 11, 2001, terrorist 
        attacks on the United States; and
            (2) work in conjunction with private industry and industry 
        employee representatives to design and implement public service 
        announcements and advertising to promote tourism, encouraging 
        Americans and foreign visitors to rediscover the nation's 
        treasures.
    (c) Powers.--To carry out the purposes of this title, the Bureau 
may--
            (1) distribute funds to any travel and tourism related 
        organization or association;
            (2) enter into contracts with private organizations or 
        business;
            (3) utilize up to three existing employees of the 
        Department of Commerce, as may be assigned by the Secretary; 
        and
            (4) conduct any and all acts necessary and proper to carry 
        out the purposes of this title.

SEC. 22. UNITED STATES TRAVEL AND TOURISM PROMOTION BUREAU ADVISORY 
              COMMITTEE.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established a United States Travel and 
Tourism Promotion Bureau Advisory Committee (in this title referred to 
as the ``Advisory Committee'') for the purpose of recommending 
activities to the Bureau.
    (b) Members.--Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall appoint the members of the 
Advisory Committee of whom--
            (1) 1 member shall be a representative of the aviation 
        industry;
            (2) 1 member shall be a representative of airline workers;
            (3) 1 member shall be a representative of the hotel 
        industry;
            (4) 1 member shall be a representative of hotel workers;
            (5) 1 member shall be a representative of the restaurant 
        industry;
            (6) 1 member shall be a representative of restaurant 
        workers;
            (7) 1 member shall be a representative of amusement parks; 
        and
            (8) 1 member shall be a member of the Rural Tourism 
        Foundation.
    (c) Chair.--The Advisory Committee shall elect a Chair for an 
initial term of 6 months. After such initial term, the Chair shall be 
elected for such term as the Committee may designate.
    (d) Vacancies.--If a vacancy occurs in the membership of the 
Committee, the Secretary of Commerce shall fill the vacancy, provided 
that the membership of the Committee remains consistent with subsection 
(b).

SEC. 23. QUARTERLY REPORTING PROVISION.

    Not less than once every 90 days, the Bureau shall report to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and 
the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives 
regarding--
            (1) the activities of the Bureau to promote travel and 
        tourism; and
            (2) the state of the travel and tourism industry.

SEC. 24. SUNSET.

    The provisions of this title shall terminate on the date that is 2 
years after the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 25. APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding the provisions of the 2001 
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Recovery from and 
Response to Terrorist Attacks on the United States, of the amounts made 
available under such Act not less than $60,000,000 shall be available 
solely for the purpose of carrying out this title.
    (b) Availability of Funds.--The funds made available under 
subsection (a) shall remain available without fiscal year limitation 
until expended, but not later than September 31, 2003.
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