[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 14 (Tuesday, January 24, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E163-E164]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                               SAVE USTTA!

                                 ______


                         HON. JAMES L. OBERSTAR

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 24, 1995
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, the U.S. Travel and Tourism Administration 
promotes America as a destination for foreign travelers. Its annual 
budget is minuscule by Federal standards, but the return on this 
investment is immense.
  In 1993, some 46 million foreign visitors came to the United States. 
They spent $74.2 billion here, producing a $22.2 billion positive 
balance of trade in travel and tourism.
  Incoming international travel generates 909,000 jobs and a payroll of 
$14.5 billion--not including jobs generated by the $16.6 billion that 
foreign visitors spend to travel on U.S. airlines.
  This October the first-ever White House Conference on Travel and 
Tourism will be held under the management of USTTA. Preliminary 
conferences will be held in all States to develop the national agenda; 
several State conferences have already been held. The very existence or 
USTTA is the Federal Government's recognition that travel and tourism 
is indeed an important sector of our economy.
  [[Page E164]] To terminate this valuable, productive, cost-effective 
agency would reduce the Federal deficit by a factor of one ten-
thousandth--one one-hundredth of 1 percent--point-zero-zero-zero-one. 
It would not make a dent on the deficit. In fact, it would make hardly 
a blemish. The benefits of this agency's work vastly outweight its 
costs.
  Mr. Speaker, USTTA has proven its value to America. It should be 
allowed to continue its good work.


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