[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 63 (Wednesday, May 8, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4859-S4863]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
By Mr. PRESSLER (for himself, Mr. Bryan, Mr. Warner, Mr. Burns,
Mr. Stevens, Mr. Hollings, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Ford, Mr. Kerry, Mr.
Breaux, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Coverdell, and Mr.
Johnston):
S. 1735. A bill to establish the U.S. Tourism Organization as a
nongovernmental entity for the purpose of promoting tourism in the
United States; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation.
The U.S. Tourism Organization Act
Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, the travel and tourism industry is the
second most productive in the world. In the United States, the tourism
industry employs more than 6.3 million people--making it the second
largest employer in the country.
Unfortunately, the United States is no longer the No. 1 tourist
destination. As other nations have recognized the economic potential of
tourism, the United States has allowed itself to fall behind. We must
reverse this trend.
This week we celebrate National Tourism Week. To commemorate the
important contributions of this great industry, I am introducing a bill
to stimulate U.S. tourism. I plan to make it a major priority, as
chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation--and
as cochair of the Senate Tourism Caucus--and as the Senator from one of
the finest tourist destinations on Earth. My bill gives Federal charter
to a new U.S. Tourism Organization--a nonprofit, nongovernmental group
to promote U.S. tourism, both in this country and abroad.
Mr. President, this organization would be put together entirely
through private-sector initiatives. It is designed as a public-private
partnership--not an expensive new Government program. My bill would
allow the U.S. Tourism Organization to raise funds through the
development and sale of a tourism logo or emblem--much as is done today
by the U.S. Olympic Committee. In addition, for an annual fee, American
businesses could become members of the U.S. Tourism Organization.
Membership would allow use of the logo for advertising and promotional
efforts. Not only would this boost individual businesses, it also would
advance the tourism industry as a whole.
My bill also would implement a national tourism strategy so that the
United States can once again be the No. 1 tourist destination in the
world. This is of critical importance to places like my home State of
South Dakota.
In South Dakota, we depend upon our average tourism revenues of $1.24
billion. In fact, tourism is second only to agriculture as the most
lucrative industry in South Dakota.
Ask anyone in Washington and they will tell you I am South Dakota's
No. 1 travel agent.
Whether it is Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, where I enjoy riding my
Harley Davidson Softtail, a trip to Laura Ingalls Wilder's home in
DeSmet, or the Prairie Dog Hunt in Winner--I am always looking for ways
to promote South Dakota as a tourist destination.
Incidentally, I was able to ride my Harley in the beautiful Black
Hills of South Dakota this weekend. I am leading a group of 600
motorcyclists there in 2 weeks. The Sturgis bike rally is one of the
major events in the Nation--South Dakota really is a major tourist
destination.
Visitors to my Washington office frequently ask about the beautiful
panorama of Mount Rushmore which hangs in my reception area. Set in the
heart of the Black Hills National Forest, the memorial is a shrine of
American Presidential heroes: George Washington, Father of the Nation;
Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence; Theodore
Roosevelt, conservationist and trustbuster; and Abraham Lincoln, the
great emancipator and preserver of the Union. More than 65 years after
its conception, Mount Rushmore is still one of the most powerful
symbols of America's democracy.
In my office, I also have a sign letting guests know that the
infamous Wall Drug in Wall, SD is only 1,523 miles away. The store
survived the Great Depression by serving free ice water to travelers.
Today, Wall Drug boasts a restaurant, art gallery, gift shops, and of
course, the drug store that started it all. I might add, the ice water
is still free.
As part of my more official efforts, I recently wrote to every
foreign ambassador in Washington encouraging them to promote South
Dakota as a tourist destination. Not long after receiving my letter,
the Ambassador from Austria visited South Dakota. I understand he
enjoyed his visit very much. Foreign visitors are becoming our fastest
growing tourist population. We welcome them.
The bill I am introducing today is designed to make it easier for
foreign visitors to plan a trip to South Dakota. Among the many duties
of the U.S. Tourist Organization is the development of a national
travel and tourism strategy aimed at increasing foreign tourism in the
United States.
I want the organization to aim at high technology. Earlier this year
we passed the Telecommunications Act of 1996. This new law will unleash
whole generations of communications technology. When I introduced the
bill that became that law, I said the technology it would spur would
benefit a wide variety of industries. This is a prime example. With
technologies such as the World Wide Web, information on U.S. tourism
can be made available to all corners of the globe.
Austrians could learn about the world-class Shrine to Music Museum in
Vermillion. Kenyan safari hunters would be able find out when hunting
season is in Redfield--the Pheasant Capital of the world. Dogsledders
in the Yukon may want to try out the snowmobile trails of the Black
Hills National Forest.
The use of the latest developments in communications technology could
promote destinations like the city of Deadwood--one of the fastest
growing tourist destinations in South Dakota. Deadwood's Main Street is
lined with old-fashioned saloons and gaming halls--inspiring memories
of the 1890's gold rush. You can still visit Saloon No. 10 where Wild
Bill Hickock was shot--making famous his poker hand of aces and eights,
the Deadman's hand.
Other legendary sites in South Dakota also would benefit. Near
Garretson, SD lies Devil's Gulch--a deep rocky chasm, made famous by
Jesse James. As you stand and look across Devil's Gulch, you can almost
imagine Jesse's cry when, being chased by the law, he spurred his horse
to leap across the 20-foot wide, 50-foot deep chasm and rode to
freedom.
Of course, once the destination is decided, visitors would want to
book accommodations, and arrange transportation and tour guides.
However, in South Dakota, we have many small businesses which might not
have the advertising budgets of the larger tours and resorts.
My bill is designed to promote all U.S. tourism interests--including
both large and small business operations. To ensure this, the U.S.
Tourism Organization would have a National Tourism Board, with 45
members, each representing a different aspect of the travel and tourism
industry--from transportation, to accommodations, from dining and
entertainment, to tour guides.
This provision would be particularly helpful to small business owners
in South Dakota like Al Johnson who runs the Palmer Gulch Resort near
Hill City. Or for Alfred Mueller, owner of Al's Oasis in Chamberlain--
the famous home of the buffaloburger.
The U.S. Tourism Organization would partner the Federal Government
with the men and women who are the tourism industry. This type of
public-private partnership was discussed by South Dakotans like Vince
Coyle, of Deadwood, and Julie Jensen, of Rapid City, when they attended
the White House conference on tourism. Working together, we can make
tourism the new key to this country's economic success.
This is our opportunity to forge ahead. There is no reason the U.S.
travel and tourism should be relegated to the backseat any longer. I
urge my colleagues to join me in the effort to once again make the
United States the top tourist destination in the world.
With that, Mr. President, I send to the desk a bill to establish the
U.S. Tourism Organization as a nongovernmental entity for the purpose
of promoting tourism in the United States.
[[Page S4860]]
Mr. President, I see my colleague, Senator Warner of Virginia, on the
floor.
He is a champion of tourism. He has been a leader in the tourism
industry since we came to the Senate together in 1978. I am proud he is
joining in this effort to lead the charge to work for this bill's
passage. We know that in the Department of Commerce and especially in
the Undersecretary for Tourism's office there have been cutbacks. But
this provides us with a vehicle to accomplish our goal to promote
tourism, a vehicle of using public-private partnership. This is the
spirit and the genius of free enterprise in our country. Senator Warner
has been at the forefront of that legislation, and I salute him, and I
welcome him to help lead this charge.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be
printed in the Record, and I yield the floor to my friend from
Virginia.
There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the
Record, as follows:
S. 1735
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 ``United States Tourism
Organization Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that--
(1) the travel and tourism industry is the second largest
retail or service industry in the United States, and travel
and tourism services ranked as the largest United States
export in 1995, generating an $18.6 billion trade surplus for
the United States;
(2) domestic and international travel and tourism
expenditures totaled $433 billion in 1995, $415 billion spent
directly within the United States and an additional $18
billion spent by international travelers on United States
flag carriers traveling to the United States;
(3) direct travel and tourism receipts make up 6 percent of
the United States gross domestic product;
(4) in 1994 the travel and tourism industry was the
nation's second largest employer, directly responsible for
6.3 million jobs and indirectly responsible for another 8
million jobs;
(5) employment in major sectors of the travel industry is
expected to increase 35 percent by the year 2005;
(6) 99.7 percent of travel businesses are defined by the
federal government as small businesses; and
(7) the White House Conference on Travel and Tourism in
1995 brought together 1,700 travel and tourism industry
executives from across the nation and called for the
establishment, by federal charter, of a new national tourism
organization to promote international tourism to all parts of
the United States.
SEC. 3. UNITED STATES TOURISM ORGANIZATION.
(a) Establishment.--There is established with a Federal
charter, the United States Tourism Organization (hereafter in
this Act referred to as the ``Organization''). The
Organization shall be a nonprofit organization. The
Organization shall maintain its principal offices and
national headquarters in the city of Washington, District of
Columbia, and may hold its annual and special meetings in
such places as the Organization shall determine.
(b) Organization not a Federal Agency.--Notwithstanding any
other provision of the law, the Organization shall not be
considered a Federal agency for the purposes of civil service
laws or any other provision of Federal law governing the
operation of Federal agencies, including personnel or
budgetary matters relating to Federal agencies. The Federal
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the
Organization or any entities within the Organization.
(c) Duties.--The Organization shall--
(1) facilitate the development and use of public-private
partnerships for travel and tourism policymaking;
(2) seek to, and work for, an increase in the share of the
United States in the global tourism market;
(3) implement the national travel and tourism strategy
developed by the National Tourism Board under section 4;
(4) operate travel and tourism promotion programs outside
the United States in partnership with the travel and tourism
industry in the United States;
(5) establish a travel-tourism data bank and, through that
data bank collect and disseminate international market data:
(6) conduct market research necessary for the effective
promotion of the travel and tourism market; and
(7) promote United States travel and tourism.
(d) Powers.--The Organization--
(1) shall have perpetual succession;
(2) shall represent the United States in its relations with
international tourism agencies;
(3) may sue and be sued;
(4) may make contracts;
(5) may acquire, hold, and dispose of real and personal
property as may be necessary for its corporate purposes;
(6) may accept gifts, legacies, and devices in furtherance
of its corporate purposes;
(7) may provide financial assistance to any organization or
association, other than a corporation organized for profit,
in furtherance of the purpose of the corporation;
(8) may adopt and alter a corporate seal;
(9) may establish and maintain offices for the conduct of
the affairs of the Organization;
(10) may publish a newspaper, magazine, or other
publication consistent with its corporate purposes;
(11) may do any and all acts and things necessary and
proper to carry out the purposes of the Organization; and
(12) may adopt and amend a constitution and bylaws not
inconsistent with the laws of the United States or of any
State, except that the Organization may amend its
constitution only if it--
(A) publishes in its principal publication a general notice
of the proposed alteration of the constitution, including the
substantive terms of the alteration, the time and place of
the Organization's regular meeting at which the alteration is
to be decided, and a provision informing interested persons
that they may submit materials as authorized in subparagraph
(B); and
(B) gives to all interested persons, prior to the adoption
of any amendment, an opportunity to submit written data,
views, or arguments concerning the proposed amendment for a
period of at least 60 days after the date of publication of
the notice.
(e) Nonpolitical Nature of the Organization.--The
Organization shall be nonpolitical and shall not promote the
candidacy of any person seeking public office.
(f) Prohibition Against Issuance of Stock or Business
Activities.--The Organization shall have no power to issue
capital stock or to engage in business for pecuniary profit
or gain.
SEC. 4. NATIONAL TOURISM BOARD.
(a) Establishment.--The Organization shall be governed by a
Board of Directors known as the National Tourism Board
(hereinafter in this Act referred to as the ``Board'').
(b) Membership.--
(1) Composition.--The Board shall be composed of 45
members, and shall be self-perpetuating. Initial members
shall be appointed as provided in paragraph (2). The Board
shall elect a chair from among its members.
(2) Founding members.--The founding members of the Board
shall be appointed, or elected, as follows:
(A) The Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade
Administration shall serve as a member ex officio.
(B) 5 State Travel Directors elected by the National
Council of State Travel Directors.
(C) 5 members elected by the International Association of
Convention and Visitor Bureaus.
(D) 3 members elected by the Air Transport Assocation.
(E) 1 member elected by the National Assocation of
Recreational Vehicle Parks and Campgrounds; 1 member elected
by the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association.
(F) 2 members elected by the International Association of
Amusement Parks and Attractions.
(G) 3 members appointed by major companies in the travel
payments industry.
(H) 5 members elected by the American Hotel and Motel
Association.
(I) 2 members elected by the American Car Rental
Association; 1 member elected by the American Automobile
Association; 1 member elected by the American Bus
Association; 1 member elected by Amtrak.
(J) 1 member elected by the National Tour Association; 1
member elected by the United States Tour Operators
Association.
(K) 1 member elected by the Cruise Lines International
Association; 1 member elected by the National Restaurant
Association; 1 member elected by the National Park
Hospitality Association; 1 member elected by the Airports
Council International; 1 member elected by the Meeting
Planners International; 1 member elected by the American
Sightseeing International; 4 members elected by the Travel
Industry Association of America.
(3) Terms.--Terms of Board members and of the Chair shall
be determined by the Board and made part of the Organization
bylaws.
(c) Duties of the Board.--The Board shall--
(1) develop a national travel and tourism strategy for
increasing tourism to and within the United States; and
(2) advise the President, the Congress, and members of the
travel and tourism industry concerning the implementation of
the national strategy referred to in paragraph (1) and other
matters that affect travel and tourism.
(d) Authority.--The Board is hereby authorized to meet to
complete the organization of the Organization by the adoption
of a constitution and bylaws, and by doing all things
necessary to carry into effect the provisions of this Act.
(e) Initial Meetings.--Not later than 30 days after the
date on which all members of the Board have been appointed,
the Board shall have its first meeting.
(f) Meetings.--The Board shall meet at the call of the
Chair, but not less frequently than semiannually.
(g) Compensation and Expenses.--The chairman and members of
the Board shall
[[Page S4861]]
serve without compensation but may be compensated for
expenses incurred in carrying out the duties of the Board.
(h) Testimony, Reports, and Support.--The Board may present
testimony to the President, to the Congress, and to the
legislatures of the State and issue reports on its findings
and recommendations.
SEC. 5. SYMBOLS, EMBLEMS, TRADEMARKS, AND NAMES.
(a) In General.--The Organization shall provide for the
design of such symbols, emblems, trademarks, and names as may
be appropriate and shall take all action necessary to protect
and regulate the use of such symbols, emblems, trademark, and
names under law.
(b) Unauthorized Use; Civil Action.--Any person who,
without the consent of the Organization, uses--
(1) the symbol of the Organization;
(2) the emblem of the Organization;
(3) any trademark, trade name, sign, symbol, or insignia
falsely representing association with, or authorization by,
the Organization; or
(4) the words ``United States Tourism Organization'', or
any combination or simulation thereof tending to cause
confusion, to cause mistake, to deceive, or to falsely
suggest a connection with the Organization or any
Organization activity;
for the purpose of trade, to induce the sale of any goods or
services, or to promote any exhibition shall be subject to
suit in a civil action brought in the appropriate court by
the Organization for the remedies provided in the Act of July
5, 1946 (60 Stat. 427; 15 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.), popularly
known as the Trademark Act of 1946. Paragraph (4) of this
subsection shall not be construed to prohibit any person who,
before the date of enactment of this Act, actually used the
words ``United States Tourism Organization'' for any lawful
purpose from continuing such lawful use for the same purpose
and for the same goods and services.
(c) Contributors and Suppliers.--The Organization may
authorize contributors and suppliers of goods and services to
use the trade name of the Organization as well as any
trademark, symbol, insignia, or emblem of the Organization in
advertising that the contributions, goods, or services were
donated, supplied, or furnished to or for the use of,
approved, selected, or used by the Organization.
(d) Exclusive Right of the Organization.--The Organization
shall have exclusive right to use the name ``United States
Tourism Organization'', the symbol described in subsection
(b)(1), the emblem described in subsection (b)(2), and the
words ``United States Tourism Organization'', or any
combination thereof, subject to the use reserved by the
second sentence of subsection (b).
SEC. 6. UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT COOPERATION.
(a) Secretary of State.--The Secretary of State shall--
(1) place a high priority on implementing recommendations
by the Organization; and
(2) cooperate with the Organization in carrying out its
duties.
(b) Director of the United States Information Agency.--The
Director of the United States Information Agency shall--
(1) place a high priority on implementing recommendations
by the Organization; and
(2) cooperate with the Organization in carrying out its
duties.
(c) Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee.--Section 2312
of the Export Enhancement Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 4727) is
amended--
(1) by striking out ``and'' at the end of subsection
(c)(4);
(2) by striking the period at the end of subsection (c)(5)
and inserting a semicolon and the word ``and'';
(3) by adding at the end thereof the following:
``(6) reflect recommendations by the National Tourism Board
established under the United States Tourism Organization
Act.'' and
(2) in paragraph (d)(1) by striking ``and'' in subparagraph
(L), by redesignating subparagraph (M) as subparagraph (N),
and by inserting the following:
``(M) the Chairman of the Board of the United States
Tourism Organization, as established under the United States
Tourism Organization Act; and''.
SEC. 7. SUNSET.
If, by the date that is 2 years after the date of
incorporation of the Organization, a plan for the long-term
financing of the Organization has not been implemented, the
Organization and the Board shall terminate.
Mr. WARNER addressed the Chair.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Virginia.
Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank my distinguished colleague from
South Dakota for his kind remarks. Indeed, I had earlier this year, in
March, introduced S. 1623, a bill which in many respects has been
incorporated, with my concurrence, in the bill that has just been sent
to the desk, on which I am a principal cosponsor, as the Senator from
South Dakota stated.
The Senator from South Dakota is the chairman of the Commerce
Committee, which is the committee of primary jurisdiction for this
issue. I think it is most proper that he take the lead, and I am happy
to join him. I at this time urge that the 19 cosponsors--I was
privileged to get 19 cosponsors on my bill--now direct their attention
to this bill which will be the principal focal point for the
deliberations in the committee as well as in this Chamber regarding
this important subject.
It is very interesting that it is just 20 years ago that I began to
take my, should we say, initial course in the importance of tourism. At
that time, I was privileged to serve the President of the United States
and, indeed, the Congress as the director of the Nation's bicentennial
Federal effort. It quickly came to my attention, as it did to all
involved in the bicentennial of the United States, that it would be a
focal point that would draw visitors from all over the world. Indeed,
it did. Millions and millions of people came from all over the world.
In the years thereafter, those who could not come during, let us say,
the years 1975-76, which was sort of the peak of the centennial--July
4, 1976, was the focal point--came years after because of the goodwill,
the interest that was created by that celebration here in the United
States.
It was my role to see that each of the States had equal opportunity,
each of the villages and towns all across America had an equal
opportunity to participate. If I may say, I was proud to, in many
respects, keep the Federal effort down so it was not competitive with
the creativity that took place all across our great land and also saved
the taxpayers' dollars.
I might add that there was a small Federal administration created of
which I was the head. We did our job, closed our doors and turned back
to the Federal Treasury a considerable portion of the revenue that we
had generated primarily through the sale of coins and other items with
the national logo affixed thereto.
In the years I have been privileged to serve in the Senate, time and
time again--indeed, initiated under Republican Presidents--was the
effort to cut back the participation of the United States in
facilitating tourism here in the United States with visitors from
abroad. I resisted those efforts successfully for a number of years,
but now, in this important era of our change of philosophy, namely, to
let us move towards less Government and less Government spending, we
accept the fact that the Federal Government is going to take a lesser
role, and the purpose of this act is to try to pick up some of those
responsibilities by the private sector at no cost to the taxpayers.
Therefore, I think it is important that all begin to give greater
focus to travel and tourism in our Nation. Tourism means jobs, and that
is the single most important thing in America today, in my judgment. As
I travel about my State, there is the anxiety over jobs. It is job
security that concerns not just the wage earner, or, in many instances,
two wage earners in the family, but the whole family right on down to
the children.
This is a means to create superb quality jobs at all levels, and it
needs our support. Whether it be at the hotels, airlines, restaurants,
campgrounds, amusement parks, or things that interest me and always
have, the historical sites all across our great land, tourism works,
and it works well.
Today marks National Tourist Appreciation Day during National Tourism
Week. It is a small tribute to this job-impacted industry, which is the
second leading provider of jobs in this Nation--just stop to think, the
second leading provider of jobs in this country--and the third largest
retail industry, giving the United States a $21 billion trade surplus.
Last year, visitors from abroad brought approximately $80 billion--
let me repeat that--last year visitors coming to our United States from
all over the world brought $80 billion to the U.S. economy, which is
one-fifth of the total $400 billion provided to the economy by the
travel and tourism industry.
Mr. PRESSLER. Will my friend yield for a question?
Mr. WARNER. Yes.
Mr. PRESSLER. I again commend my friend from Virginia for his great
leadership. I think he found, in getting cosponsors for his original
bill, there is bipartisan support for this. And I see our friend,
Senator Dick Bryan, who has done such an outstanding job on tourism and
travel matters on his side of the aisle. He also has led the charge on
tourism and supports this bill. Is it not true that my friend found
great bipartisan support?
[[Page S4862]]
Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, very definitely. It is absolutely
bipartisan support on this measure, and that is why I am very much
encouraged that this bill will be very promptly addressed by the Senate
and passed.
I hasten to add that while we got $80 billion last year, it is
slipping. The number of persons coming to our shores is going down,
going down, in my judgment, because we do not have the adequate funds
to project the message beyond our shores--come, come share with us in
this magnificent land of ours. And that is the purpose of this bill.
For the past several years, the United States' share of the
international travel market has declined. Last year, 2 million fewer
foreign visitors came to our shores and to visit our land. That was a
19-percent decline. This translated into 177,000 fewer travel-related
jobs in our Nation.
Let us join in this legislation to reverse this decline. We need to
attract more international tourists and enhance the travel experience
of both domestic and international travelers. The United States must
remain the destination of choice for world travelers.
I am pleased to join with my colleague from South Dakota in
introducing the United States Tourism Organization Act. The bill builds
on the foundation of support in Congress and in the industry
established by S. 1623, the measure that I introduced in March, the
Travel and Tourism Partnership Act. With the elimination of the U.S.
Travel and Tourism Administration--that is the Federal role, which
understandably, as Government shrinks, can no longer serve in this
purpose--the United States, our Nation, will become the only major
developed nation without a Federal tourism office.
We need a national strategy to maintain and increase our share of the
global travel market. Other nations pour money, their tax dollars, into
marketing, attempting to lure tourists to their shores, and they are
doing so in a way that is taking them away from our United States. Our
legislation will provide the tools with which the United States can
better compete with these nations. We can counter these foreign
promotion dollars with a combination of technical assistance from the
Federal Government and financial assistance from the private sector.
This legislation will create a true public-private partnership
between the travel and tourism industry and the public sector to
effectively promote international travel to the United States. It
supplants the big Government, top-down bureaucracy which was eliminated
with the U.S. Travel and Tourism Administration. This bill establishes
a Federal charter for a privately funded, nonprofit organization tasked
with facilitating the development of increasing the United States share
of the global tourism market. The travel tourism data bank will collect
international market data for dissemination to the travel and tourism
industry. It is my hope that the final bill will incorporate the
technical assistance provisions that we included in S. 1623. The U.S.
Tourism Organization will represent the United States in its relations
with world tourism, and with other international agencies, and will be
governed by the national tourism board.
This bill does not cost the taxpayer a nickel. No Federal funding is
associated with the legislation. The bill includes a sunset provision
which directs the U.S. Tourism Organization to develop a long-term
financing plan within 2 years, encouraging ongoing industry support for
its promotion efforts.
Travel industry leaders from around the Nation enthusiastically
endorse the plan embodied in this bill. Let me just pause on that. This
bill is a direct result of tremendous support all across the tourism
industry. So it is a joint effort at the very inception with those of
us in the legislative branch and those in the private sector.
The White House Conference on Travel and Tourism supported this
amendment. Together, through the collective talent of both the
organization and the board of directors, it is my hope that America
will once again launch itself into the international tourism market and
be a strong competitor, as it has been in years previously, again
creating jobs here in our United States.
I encourage all 19 of my colleagues who supported S. 1623, the Travel
and Tourism Partnership Act, which I introduced in March, to join in
this initiative.
The Senator from South Dakota extolled, quite properly, the virtues
of his State. I will not take time here today to extol the virtues of
Virginia. But we are proud to be known as the Mother of Presidents. So
much of the early history of our Nation, particularly the formation of
the Government, devolved upon Virginians, to bring forth the ideas that
we cherish today. Indeed, the very manual that rests on the President's
desk is derivative of Mr. Jefferson's teachings years ago.
So Virginia will take second place to none. But I think in fairness
we are here today to concentrate on this legislation. Indeed, our
Governor, with the help of his lovely wife, is spending a great deal of
time on the subject of tourism today, recognizing how important it is
to the economy of our State. But it is also important that our State be
understood all across America, particularly in the educational process,
as to how it had a major role in the development of our Government
today.
Mr. President, I yield the floor. I commend the distinguished Senator
about to speak for his participation in this bill, Senator Bryan.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair recognizes the Senator from Nevada.
Mr. BRYAN. Mr. President, I thank my friend, the distinguished senior
Senator from Virginia, Mr. Warner, and the committee chairman, Senator
Pressler, Senator Hollings, Senator Inouye, Senator Ford, Senator
Kerry, Senator Breaux, Senator Dorgan, Senator Akaka, and Senator
Johnston for their leadership in introducing this bill which is the
United States Tourism Organization Act.
Let me say, parenthetically, I hail from a State where tourism is far
and above our largest single economic industry. It is the mainstream,
the main spring for an economy which has grown more rapidly than any
economy in America, added more new jobs, enjoys more economic growth
and vitality. The southern part of the State, Las Vegas, will soon have
100,000 hotel rooms. That is larger than any city, not only in America,
but in the world. And several new properties are on the drawing boards.
So tourism is something we understand in Nevada. From my former
capacity as the chief executive of Nevada, I know that we work at the
State level to establish the public-private partnership that my
colleagues have alluded to earlier this afternoon in their remarks on
the floor. So I am delighted to work with them in fashioning this piece
of legislation.
Travel and tourism has been one of our country's great success
stories. Tourism is the second largest employer in our Nation after
health care. It employs, either directly or indirectly, 13 million
Americans and has created jobs at more than twice the national average.
Travel and tourism generated $417 billion spending in 1994.
International visitor spending accounted for $77 billion in foreign
exchange, making it America's largest export.
Tourism generated a $22 billion net surplus in our trade balance. The
opportunity that we have is ever so promising because international
tourism is the most rapidly growing sector in the tourism market. By
the year 2000, 4 years from now, more than 661 million people will be
traveling throughout the world. That is twice as many people as
traveled just a little more than a decade ago, in 1985.
Unfortunately, even as we look forward to anticipate the good news of
expanded international travel, we reflect upon the fact that America's
share of the world's tourism market is declining. In 1983, the United
States enjoyed almost 19 percent of the world's tourism receipts. That
has declined to 15.6 percent this year and is expected to shrink to
13.8 percent by the end of this decade.
The loss in the U.S. share of the world tourism market can be
translated into a significant impact on our trade deficit and
employment--jobs, as the distinguished Senator from Virginia pointed
out. If we were able to keep our world tourism share from shrinking, we
would improve our trade balance by $28 billion and increase employment
in America by 370,000 persons by the year 2000.
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Those are significant numbers by any measure. Very few industries can
shape our economy to this extent. Until a few months ago, the Federal
Government funded a tourism program effort that ranked 23d in the world
in terms of dollars spent, putting the United States behind such
countries as Tunisia and Malaysia. While this effort fell far short of
what should have been, it was a worthwhile effort that produced
tangible effects.
Under the skillful leadership of the Under Secretary of Travel and
Tourism, Greg Farmer, USTTA was an effective organization and helped to
create a favorable impression of our country to foreign tourists.
Although this bill enjoyed strong bipartisan support in the
continuation of the agency for a transitional year, it was supported in
the Senate; we had strong bipartisan support of Senator Burns and
Senator McConnell. Unfortunately, in the House the action of the
chairman of the House Appropriations Committee killed this minimal
effort and left our country without any international tourism
promotion, while at the same time our international competitors have
impressive international tourism efforts, trying to entice America and
other countries' citizens to visit their countries. The United States,
as a result of this action, was unilaterally disarmed in the
competition for international travel markets.
This was a bad decision, when we consider the great opportunities
that we have to encourage visitors to this country this summer. As the
distinguished occupant of the chair knows, we have, in an adjacent
State to his own, the summer Olympic Games in Atlanta; an opportunity
for people from around the world to stay and not only visit the Olympic
Games but to see other parts of our country as well.
While the effort to continue the USTTA for the transitional year, as
I have indicated, was unsuccessful--and I opposed what I considered a
myopic approach--nevertheless, we do have an opportunity to recover.
Last October the White House hosted the first ever White House
Conference on Travel and Tourism. That conference came up with a series
of recommendations from all segments of the tourism industry on how to
improve our promotional efforts as a country.
Most significant was the recommendation to establish a public-private
partnership for tourism promotion, and it is this legislation that
traces its origins to the White House conference, generated by a broad
sector of the tourism industry, that we embody in the legislation that
we introduce today.
This legislation establishes, by a Federal charter, the U.S. Tourism
Organization. The organization shall be nonprofit and shall implement
the national travel and tourism strategy, operate travel and tourism
promotion outside the United States, establish a travel and tourism
data bank to collect and disseminate international market data and to
conduct market research for the effective promotion of U.S. tourism.
The organization shall be governed by a board of directors which
shall have 45 members and be known as the national tourism board,
representing a broad and diverse cross-section of various public and
private-sector tourism entities.
The tourism industry strongly supports this legislation. We are
counting on them to turn this into a successful organization.
This legislation, incorporating a public-private sector partnership,
is a model for how Government, industry, and labor should cooperate in
promoting our national efforts. I hope we can swiftly pass this
legislation and send it to the President so we can get on with our
efforts to encourage more travel and tourism from abroad to the United
States.
Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I have come to the floor today to speak
briefly in support of S. 1735, a bill that will establish an
independent U.S. Tourism Organization.
I am supportive, particularly, of the structure of the bill that
Senator Pressler has put together. I want to commend him and the staff
of the Commerce Committee for their hard work. They have fashioned a
bill that has gotten strong bipartisan support here in the Senate.
We used the 1950 act that incorporates the U.S. Olympic Committee
[USOC] as a model for this bill. That act was greatly expanded upon by
the Amateur Sports Act of 1978 [ASA], and the concepts in S. 1735 draw
much from the ASA.
The primary goal of the ASA was to create a strong, central authority
to serve amateur athletics.
We are now creating a strong, central authority for the tourism
industry, which will be called the U.S. Tourism Organization [USTO].
The USTO would have many of the same duties and powers as provided in
the Amateur Sports Act for the U.S. Olympic Committee, including the
authority to represent the United States internationally with respect
to tourism and to adopt a constitution and bylaws. Like the U.S.
Olympic Committee, the U.S. Tourism Organization would be required to
be nonpolitical.
S. 1735 would specify the founding members of a board of directors
for the U.S. Tourism Organization.
As with the ASA, S. 1735 would grant the USTO the authority to design
appropriate symbols, emblems, trademarks, and names, and would make it
a violation of the Trademark Act of 1946 for any person to use these
without the consent of the USTO.
The Olympic Committee's ability to raise funds for its operations is
almost entirely related to its exclusive rights under the ASA to
Olympic symbols, and we hope the exclusive use of these will work as
for the new USTO.
Significantly, as with the U.S. Olympic Committee, no Federal funding
is associated with this legislation. This is an industry-funded and
industry-directed initiative.
Supporting over 14 million jobs directly and indirectly, the travel
and tourism industry is America's second largest employer. It is the
third largest retail industry, generating an estimated $430 billion in
expenditures. And it is good for State, local, and Federal Government,
generating almost $60 billion a year in Federal, State, and local
taxes.
Tourism is extremely important to my State of Alaska. Over 1 million
people will visit Alaska this year; that's more visitors than there are
State residents.
Tourists, both domestic and international, support 22,000 jobs in
Alaska and $523 million in payroll. This year, tourists will spend $1.2
billion in my State.
I support this legislation, which would create the foundations of a
strong, independent entity to promote travel and tourism in the United
States. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
______