[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 116 (Wednesday, July 29, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S8274]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REID (for himself, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. Ensign, and 
        Mr. Martinez):
  S. 1530. A bill to prohibit an agency or department of the United 
States from establishing or implementing an internal policy that 
discourages or prohibits the selection of a resort or vacation 
destination as the location for a conference or event, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the 
bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1530

       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 ``Protecting Resort Cities 
     from Discrimination Act of 2009''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) Tourism, including conventions and meetings, is an 
     important part of the United States economy that generates 
     billions of dollars in tax revenues for many localities.
       (2) Analysts estimate that approximately 90 percent of 
     employers in the travel industry are small businesses and 
     more than 12 percent of United States employees are employed 
     by the travel industry.
       (3) Many local economies around the country have developed 
     into destinations for vacationers and conventioneers alike, 
     and those local economies depend on the travel industry to 
     support local employment, create new jobs, and generate tax 
     revenues for critical public services.
       (4) These same destinations are home to large and small 
     businesses that have unique skills, amenities, and resources 
     for planning and facilitating meetings and conventions for 
     all purposes and, consequently, may deliver value and 
     convenience for individuals and organizations in need of a 
     location for an official event.
       (5) Locating an official event in such a city frequently 
     may save taxpayer dollars, as compared to other locations.
       (6) Agencies and departments of the United States have a 
     responsibility to find ways to maximize taxpayer dollars in 
     conducting official business, including planning and 
     conducting official meetings attended by Federal employees.
       (7) In deciding where to locate an official government 
     meeting by applying this principle of maximizing taxpayer 
     dollars, government officials often will conclude that many 
     locations known as resort destinations also will provide the 
     best value and convenience for official meetings and 
     business.
       (8) Resort and vacation destination cities tend to be 
     affected disproportionally during economic downturns and, 
     therefore, are especially vulnerable to discrimination by 
     meeting and convention planners, which could exacerbate 
     unemployment and related demands on United States taxpayers.

     SEC. 3. LIMITATION ON CERTAIN TRAVEL AND CONFERENCES POLICIES 
                   OF AGENCIES OF THE UNITED STATES.

       No agency or department of the United States may establish 
     or implement an internal policy regarding travel, event, 
     meeting, or conference locations that discourages or 
     prohibits the selection of such a location because the 
     location is perceived to be a resort or vacation destination.
                                 ______