[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.

[[Page S4863]]

  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.
                                 ______