[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 38 (Tuesday, March 19, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H2324-H2325]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             SUPPORT THE TRAVEL AND TOURISM PARTNERSHIP ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of May 
12, 1995, the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Roth] is recognized during 
morning business for 5 minutes.
  Mr. ROTH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge support for the travel 
and tourism industry; that is, the Travel and Tourism Partnership Act. 
Travel and tourism is America's and the world's largest industry, or it 
will be in 4 years. Today, travel and tourism employs some 7 million 
people directly, and some 6.5 million people indirectly in the United 
States.
  In the next 2 months, before the Travel and Tourism Administration 
closes down at the Commerce Department, I encourage my colleagues to 
focus on this industry and the jobs it creates, what it does to keep 
our taxes lower for all Americans, and what it is doing for America as 
far as our economy is concerned.
  The travel and tourism industry is one that has been neglected too 
long by this Congress. Mr. Speaker, Members debate frequently here on 
the floor on what we can do to promote good paying jobs, to keep our 
economy strong, how to revitalize our cities, and how to create the 
opportunities that our young people need and how to rejuvenate our 
local economies. The question always comes down to what can we do as a 
Congress to create more jobs?
  One of the problems, of course, in the inner cities, is that 
businesses are closing down, opportunities have been lost, and 
neighbors are packing up and moving away. But today it is not only a 
problem for inner cities, it is also a problem for small towns.
  In rural communities all across America where farms and industries 
once supported a main street bustling with restaurants, hardware 
stores, five-and-dimes, grocery stores, service stations, hotels, you 
name it, some of these small towns have been very hard hit.
  But what has kept our hometowns and small towns from fading away in 
America has been one industry; it has been the travel and tourism 
industry. The travel and tourism industry many times has kept alive our 
small towns, our rural towns.
  Tourism is today America's second largest employer. When we help 
tourism, it is like starting a downtown revitalization project or 
helping a small town anywhere in America.
  With less than 2 months to go before the USTTA shuts its doors 
forever, it is time for Members to do two things, and I think it is 
imperative for us to do that: One is to recognize the vital role that 
tourism plays in our districts, and to commit becoming a new catalyst 
for further growth by helping travel and tourism.
  We have a bill before Congress that is an outgrowth of the travel and 
tourism

[[Page H2325]]

White House conference that we had here in October. We had some 1,700 
leading people in travel and tourism come to Washington at the end of 
October, and they asked Congress for legislation dealing with a 
partnership act which allows the government and industry to work 
together. This would be really a prototype for legislation in the 
future.
  We have the bill before us, H.R. 2579. This bill allows America to 
compete not only in our country, but also internationally in the travel 
and tourism industry. Again, it is the outgrowth of the White House 
Conference on Travel and Tourism. It is a real job creator. There is 
not a bill before Congress that will create as many jobs as the 
Partnership Act, H.R. 2579, so I am asking Members to sign on. It is a 
real economic stimulus, especially for our local communities.
  We now have 195 cosponsors. We want to do what is said to be 
impossible. We want to reach 218. So, you see, we are in striking 
distance. We are striving to achieve the ultimate goal, which is 218 
cosponsors. I am asking all Members to become involved.
  We have come a long way. We have made strides that others have said 
would be unachievable. But with all our success, we have a long trail 
ahead of us. We must get the job done. Time is of the essence.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask all Members to focus on travel and tourism, 
because of what it means to our economy and what it means to jobs for 
all Americans. It is time for us to focus on this emerging industry. 
After all, travel and tourism, telecommunications, and information 
technology are the three greatest job producers of the 1990's and the 
21st century. If we in Congress are forward looking and if we in 
Corning are going to focus on what has to be done for our economy and 
for the future of this country, then we have got to focus on travel and 
tourism, and we have got to do that today, because we have only 2 
months before USTTA closes down.
  So I ask all Members to focus on travel and tourism. Let us complete 
the big job we started. I ask all Members to help by cosponsoring this 
legislation today.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank you for giving me the time to express my 
concerns about travel and tourism this afternoon.

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