[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 56 (Tuesday, May 7, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S3977]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page S3977]]
                         NATIONAL TOURISM WEEK

  Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of S. Con. Res. 108, which is at the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the concurrent 
resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Con. Res. 108) to designate May 4-12, 
     2002, as ``National Tourism Week.''

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
concurrent resolution.
  Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution and preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid 
upon the table, and that any statement relating to the resolution be 
printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 108) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The concurrent resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 108

       Whereas travel and tourism has a major impact on the 
     economy of the United States as the third largest retail 
     sales industry in the Nation;
       Whereas 1 out of every 7 people employed in the United 
     States civilian labor force is employed in the travel and 
     tourism industry;
       Whereas international travel to the United States is the 
     largest service export, having generated a trade surplus for 
     13 consecutive years;
       Whereas domestic and international travel generated an 
     estimated $545,000,000,000 in expenditures in 2001, 
     supporting more than 7,800,000 jobs, and creating more than 
     $94,400,000,000 in tax revenue for Federal, State, and local 
     governments;
       Whereas the slowing of the United States economy and the 
     horrific terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, have had a 
     tremendous negative effect on the tourism industry;
       Whereas according to the Travel Industry Association, the 
     travel and tourism industry would suffer a $43,000,000,000 
     decrease in spending from domestic and international 
     travelers due to the September 11, 2001, attacks;
       Whereas the Department of Commerce has issued preliminary 
     figures indicating that international travel to the United 
     States decreased 11 percent between 2000 and 2001, resulting 
     in a 45 percent decrease in the travel trade surplus (from 
     $14,000,000,000 to $7,700,000,000), and that it may take 3 
     years for international travel to return to the 2000 level;
       Whereas decreased spending in 2001 caused the travel and 
     tourism industry to lose an estimated 600,000 jobs, and 
     resulted in an estimated 3 percent decrease in tax revenues 
     from such industry;
       Whereas National Tourism Week was established by Congress 
     in 1983, and first celebrated in May 1984, when President 
     Ronald Reagan signed a Presidential Proclamation urging 
     citizens to observe the week ``with appropriate ceremonies 
     and activities;
       Whereas since 1984, National Tourism Week has been 
     celebrated each May by the Travel Industry Association of 
     America, as well as many States, cities, and other travel 
     industry associations: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) designates May 4-12, 2002, as ``National Tourism Week; 
     and
       (2) requests that the President issue a proclamation 
     calling upon the people of the United States to observe 
     National Tourism Week with appropriate ceremonies and 
     activities.

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