[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 154 (Thursday, November 8, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S11605]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  DOMESTIC TRAVEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY

  Mr. KYL. Madam President, as my colleagues know, Senator Zell Miller 
and I have introduced bipartisan legislation to help our domestic 
travel and tourism industry recover from the devastating effects of 
September 11. I believe that we must focus an emergency economic 
stimulus package on the sector that has been most harmed: our travel 
and tourism industry. If we are to prevent thousands of bankruptcies, 
hundreds of thousands of lost jobs, and a host of indirect consequences 
to the rest of the economy, it is essential that we provide some 
immediate help to the travel and tourism industry.
  The most important element of the legislation would provide a 
temporary $500 tax credit per person, $1,000 for a couple filing 
jointly, for personal travel expenses incurred by the end of the year. 
This temporary measure will help encourage Americans to resume their 
normal travel habits. Unlike general rebate checks to taxpayers, a tax 
credit conditioned on travel expenses ensures that the money is spent 
on a specific activity, in this case an activity that will generate 
positive economic ripples throughout the entire American economy. It 
will also help create confidence and encourage Americans to get back on 
airplanes.
  Since business-travel expenses are already deductible, temporarily 
restoring full deductibility for all business-entertainment expenses, 
including meals, that are now subject to a 50 percent limitation, also 
would help restore the mainstay of the travel industry: the business 
traveler.
  In a recent letter to the President, the members of the Travel 
Industry Recovery Coalition endorsed the travel credit as well as 
elimination of the current 50 percent penalty on business meals and 
entertainment. I ask unanimous consent that the letter be printed in 
the Record.
  I hope my colleagues will cosponsor S. 1500 and join in our 
bipartisan effort to preserve jobs and revive this vital sector of the 
economy by getting travelers traveling again.
  There being no objection, the letter was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                                 November 2, 2001.
     The President,
     The White House,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. President: On behalf of the twenty-six member 
     organizations comprising the Travel Industry Recovery 
     Coalition representing all segments of our nations $582 
     billion travel and tourism industry and listed in detail on 
     the enclosed sheet, I write to thank you for encouraging 
     Americans to travel again and for your Administration's 
     ongoing efforts to make travel safe and secure. Working with 
     your Administration, our industry has made progress ensuring 
     that travel is safe and secure and in restoring consumer 
     confidence in travel.
       We are grateful for your leadership in expanding the low 
     interest SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan program to small 
     business across the entire country. We also appreciate the 
     congressional leaders who have expressed their strong support 
     for an expansion of the net operating loss carry-back that 
     will be of real benefit to our industry. Unfortunately, these 
     important efforts have not been sufficient to encourage 
     enough travelers to travel and thus to keep workers working. 
     The state of our travel and tourism industry thus remains 
     precarious.
       We write to urge your Administration to support bipartisan 
     legislation introduced in both the Senate and the House that 
     would provide a $500 per person ($1,000 per couple) tax 
     credit for travel booked by the end of the year. The proposed 
     tax credit meets your Administration's central condition for 
     inclusion in the economic stimulus package in that it would 
     have an immediate and significant impact on the entire 
     economy, and would not require a permanent change to the tax 
     code (and thus would not affect future interest rates). We 
     believe its enactment would generate $50 billion in economic 
     activity and 590,000 jobs over the course of the next year. 
     We urge you to support this temporary travel tax credit to 
     stimulate the economy, to preserve jobs, and to bring 
     families together this year at Thanksgiving and during the 
     December holidays.
       We urge your Administration to support short-term measures 
     that would eliminate the current 50% penalty on business 
     meals and entertainment expenses and to work with our 
     industry on a comprehensive promotional campaign to encourage 
     travel to and within the United States. We also ask your 
     Administration to work with us in providing assistance to the 
     valuable employees in our industry who have lost their jobs, 
     face reduced hours, or face the imminent loss of their jobs 
     if travel does not rebound quickly.
       Thank you again for leading our country at this difficult 
     time and for your Administration working with us to achieve 
     our twin objectives to ensure safe traveling and restoring 
     confidence in travel to and within America.
           Sincerely,
                                                William S. Norman,
                                                President and CEO.


                  Travel Industry Recovery, Coalition

       Coalition Member and Key Contact:
       Air Transport Association, Carol Hallett, President and 
     Chief Executive Officer; American Association of Museums, 
     Edward Able, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer; 
     American Bus Association, Peter Pantuso, President and Chief 
     Executive Officer; American Recreation Coalition, Derrick 
     Crandall, President, and Association of Retail Travel Agents, 
     John Hawks, President.
       American Society of Travel Agents, William Maloney, 
     Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer; 
     Association of Travel Marketing Executives, Kristin Zern, 
     Executive Director; Carlson Companies, Marilyn Carlson 
     Nelson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer; Cruise Lines 
     International Association, Jim Godsman, President, and 
     Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International, 
     Ilsa Whittemore, Associate Executive Director.
       International Association of Amusement Parks and 
     Attractions, Brett Lovejoy, President; International 
     Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, Michael 
     Gehrisch, President and Chief Executive Officer; 
     International Council of Cruise Lines, Michael Crye, 
     President; National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds, 
     David Gorin, President, and National Business Travel 
     Association, Marianne McInerney, Executive Director.
       National Council of Attractions, Randy Fluharty, Senior 
     Vice President, The Biltmore Company; National Council of 
     Destination Organizations, Joe D'Alessandro, President and 
     Chief Executive Officer, Portland Oregon Visitors 
     Association; National Council of State Tourism Directors, 
     Patty Van Gerpen, Cabinet Secretary, South Dakota Department 
     of Tourism; National Tour Association, Hank Phillips, 
     President, and Receptive Services Association, Michele 
     Biordi, Executive Director.
       Recreational Vehicle Industry Association, David Humphreys, 
     President; Society of Government Travel Professionals, Duncan 
     Farrell, General Manager; Student Youth Travel Association of 
     North America, Michael Palmer, Executive Director, Travel 
     Goods Association, Anne DeCicco, President; Travel Industry 
     Association of America, William S. Norman, President and 
     Chief Executive Officer, and United States Tour Operators 
     Association, Bob Whitley, President.

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