[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 115 (Tuesday, July 22, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H6626-H6631]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRAVEL PROMOTION, ENHANCEMENT, AND MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2014
Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 4450) to extend the Travel Promotion Act of 2009, and for other
purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4450
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 ``Travel Promotion,
Enhancement, and Modernization Act of 2014''.
SEC. 2. BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
Subsection (b)(2)(A) of the Travel Promotion Act of 2009
(22 U.S.C. 2131(b)(2)(A)) is amended--
(1) in the matter preceding clause (i)--
(A) in the first sentence, by striking ``promotion and
marketing'' and inserting ``promotion or marketing''; and
(B) by inserting after the first sentence the following:
``At least 5 members of the board shall have experience
working in United States multinational entities with
marketing budgets. At least 2 members of the board shall be
audit committee financial experts (as defined by the
Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance with section
407 of Public Law 107-204 (15 U.S.C. 7265)). All members of
the board shall be a current or former chief executive
officer, chief financial officer, or chief marketing officer,
or have held an equivalent management position.''; and
(2) in clause (x), by striking ``intercity passenger
railroad business'' and inserting ``land or sea passenger
transportation sector''.
SEC. 3. ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS.
Subsection (c)(3) of the Travel Promotion Act of 2009 (22
U.S.C. 2131(c)(3)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (F), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) by redesignating subparagraph (G) as subparagraph (I);
and
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (F) the following:
``(G) a description of, and rationales for, the
Corporation's efforts to focus on specific countries and
populations;
``(H)(i) a description of, and rationales for, the
Corporation's combination of media channels employed in
meeting the promotional objectives of its marketing campaign;
``(ii) the ratio in which such channels are used; and
``(iii) a justification for the use and ratio of such
channels; and''.
SEC. 4. BIANNUAL REVIEW OF PROCEDURES TO DETERMINE FAIR
MARKET VALUE OF GOODS AND SERVICES.
Subsection (d)(3) of the Travel Promotion Act of 2009 (22
U.S.C. 2131(d)(3)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking ``80 percent'' and
inserting ``70 percent''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(E) Maintenance of an in-kind contributions policy.--The
Corporation shall maintain an in-kind contributions policy.
``(F) Formalized procedures for in-kind contributions
policy.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment
of the Travel Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act
of 2014, the Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with the
Corporation, shall establish formal, publicly available
procedures specifying time frames and conditions for--
``(i) making and agreeing to revisions of the Corporation's
in-kind contributions policy; and
``(ii) addressing and resolving disagreements between the
Corporation and its partners, including the Secretary of
Commerce, regarding the in-kind contributions policy.
``(G) Biannual review of procedures to determine fair
market value of goods and services.--The Corporation and the
Secretary of Commerce (or their designees) shall meet on a
biannual basis to review the procedures to determine the fair
market value of goods and services received from non-Federal
sources by the Corporation under subparagraph (B).''.
SEC. 5. EXTENSION OF TRAVEL PROMOTION ACT OF 2009.
(a) In General.--The Travel Promotion Act of 2009 (22
U.S.C. 2131) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(5)(A)(iv), by striking ``all States
and the District of Columbia'' and inserting ``all States and
territories of the United States and the District of
Columbia,''; and
(2) in subsection (d)--
(A) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking ``2015'' and inserting
``2020''; and
(B) in paragraph (4)(B), by striking ``fiscal year 2011,
2012, 2013, 2014, or 2015'' and inserting ``each of the
fiscal years 2011 through 2020''.
(b) Sunset of Travel Promotion Fund Fee.--Section
217(h)(3)(B)(iii) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1187(h)(3)(B)(iii)) is amended by striking ``September
30, 2015'' and inserting ``September 30, 2020''.
[[Page H6627]]
SEC. 6. ACCOUNTABILITY; PROCUREMENT REQUIREMENTS.
The Travel Promotion Act of 2009 (22 U.S.C. 2131), as
amended by this Act, is further amended--
(1) by redesignating subsections (e), (f), (g), and (h) as
subsections (h), (e), (i), and (j), respectively;
(2) by moving subsection (e) (as so redesignated) so that
it follows subsection (d);
(3) in paragraph (2) of subsection (c), by striking
``$5,000,000'' and inserting ``$500,000''; and
(4) by inserting after subsection (e), as redesignated, the
following:
``(f) Accountability.--
``(1) Performance plans and measures.--Not later than 90
days after the date of the enactment of the Travel Promotion,
Enhancement, and Modernization Act of 2014, the Corporation
shall--
``(A) establish performance metrics including, time frames,
evaluation methodologies, and data sources for measuring--
``(i) the effectiveness of marketing efforts by the
Corporation, including its progress in achieving the long-
term goals of increased traveler visits to and spending in
the United States;
``(ii) whether increases in visitation and spending have
occurred in response to external influences, such as economic
conditions or exchange rates, rather than in response to the
efforts of the Corporation; and
``(iii) any cost or benefit to the economy of the United
States; and
``(B) conduct periodic program evaluations in response to
the data resulting from measurements under subparagraph (A).
``(2) GAO accountability.--Not later than 60 days after the
date on which the Corporation receives a report from the
Government Accountability Office with recommendations for the
Corporation, the Corporation shall submit a report to
Congress that describes the actions taken by the Corporation
in response to the recommendations in such report.
``(g) Procurement Requirements.--The Corporation shall--
``(1) establish a competitive procurement process; and
``(2) certify in its annual report to Congress under
subsection (c)(3) that any contracts entered into were in
compliance with the established competitive procurement
process.''.
SEC. 7. REPEAL OF ASSESSMENT AUTHORITY.
The Travel Promotion Act of 2009 (22 U.S.C. 2131), as
amended by this Act, is further amended by striking
subsection (e) (as redesignated by section 6(1) of this Act).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Nebraska (Mr. Terry) and the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nebraska.
General Leave
Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
insert extraneous materials in the Record on this bill, and I would
like to include an exchange of letters between the Committee on Energy
and Commerce and the Committee on Homeland Security.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Nebraska?
There was no objection.
Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
Today, I rise in support of H.R. 4450, the Travel Promotion,
Enhancement, and Modernization Act, which was reported out of the
subcommittee I chair, Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, on July 9,
22-0. H.R. 4450 then sailed through the full Committee on Energy and
Commerce on July 15 by voice vote.
I thank Congressman Bilirakis for his hard work, not only in crafting
a very smart bill with the appropriate reforms, but also gaining strong
bipartisan support along the way. And I also thank his cosponsor, Mr.
Welch of Vermont, for being the lead Democratic sponsor.
{time} 1745
The Travel Promotion Act matches $100 million in fees from foreign
travelers with $100 million in voluntary contributions from the
industry to invest in advertising abroad. In 2013 alone, Brand USA
generated 1.1 million visitors to the United States, who spent $3.4
billion and supported 53,181 U.S. jobs.
Now, we always think of Orlando, California, Miami, Disneyland,
Hollywood, and Disney World as the tourist spots that are known
worldwide, but thanks to the TPA and Brand USA, travel agents from
abroad can educate their clients on popular attractions in America's
heartland, not just New York City or Los Angeles. Nebraska alone has
seen $4.4 billion spent and 44,275 jobs supported throughout the life
of Brand USA.
With H.R. 4450, we increase accountability, as well as transparency
requirements and performance metrics to ensure Brand USA is run
efficiently. I am also pleased that the legislation makes contributions
to Brand USA voluntary, rather than compulsory.
Conservative publications, such as RedState and Human Events have
picked up on these changes and recognize these reforms as critical to
the success of the Travel Promotion Act.
I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) and the gentleman
from Vermont (Mr. Welch) for their hard work in drafting H.R. 4450 and
for gathering enough supporters that we can pass this legislation under
suspension of the rules.
I was fortunate to be able to report the bill out of my subcommittee,
so that our committee can continue to benefit from Brand USA, and I
encourage a ``yea'' vote from all of the Members on both sides of the
aisle.
I reserve the balance of my time.
House of Representatives,
Committee on Homeland Security,
Washington, DC, July 16, 2014.
Hon. Fred Upton,
Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Rayburn House
Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Upton: I write to you regarding H.R. 4450,
the Travel Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act of
2014, which was ordered reported by the Committee on Energy
and Commerce on July 15, 2014. I wanted to notify you that
the Committee on Homeland Security will forgo action on the
bill so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House floor
for consideration.
This is being done with the understanding that the
Committee on Homeland Security is not waiving any of its
jurisdiction, and the Committee will not be prejudiced with
respect to the appointment of conferees or its jurisdictional
prerogatives on this or similar legislation.
I would appreciate your response to this letter, confirming
this understanding, and ask that a copy of our exchange of
letters on this matter be included in the report accompanying
H.R. 4450 and in the Congressional Record during
consideration of H.R. 4450 on the House floor.
Sincerely,
Michael T. McCaul,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Energy and Commerce,
Washington, DC, July 17, 2014.
Hon. Michael T. McCaul,
Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, Ford House Office
Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman McCaul, Thank you for your letter regarding
H.R. 4450, the ``Travel Promotion, Enhancement, and
Modernization Act of 2014.''
I appreciate your willingness to forgo action on the bill
so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House floor for
consideration. I agree that your decision is not a waiver of
any of the Committee on Homeland Security's jurisdiction, and
the Committee will not be prejudiced with respect to the
appointment of conferees or its jurisdictional prerogatives
on this or similar legislation.
I will include a copy of our exchange of letters on this
matter in the report accompanying H.R. 4450 and in the
Congressional Record during consideration of H.R. 4450 on the
House floor.
Sincerely,
Fred Upton,
Chairman.
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
As the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing,
and Trade, I am pleased that this bipartisan bill, H.R. 4450, the
Travel Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act of 2014, was
reported out of the full Energy and Commerce Committee last week.
The bill, which authorizes the Brand USA program through fiscal year
2020, is an important achievement for our committee. I appreciate the
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton) and the gentleman from Nebraska
(Mr. Terry), the chairman of our committee and subcommittee, and the
gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman), the full committee ranking
member, for helping to bring this legislation to the floor.
I strongly support Brand USA's mission of promoting international
travel to the United States, and I have heard from travel and tourism
professionals across my district about the need to reauthorize this
program, but it is not just the Chicago area that benefits.
Brand USA supports an estimated 53,000 jobs and $3.4 billion in
visitor spending each year from coast to coast,
[[Page H6628]]
according to the U.S. Travel Association.
I would like to thank Mr. Bilirakis and Mr. Welch, the sponsors of
H.R. 4450, for their continued commitment to the promotion of
international tourism. The sponsors worked with me to make some
important improvements to this legislation during the committee markup
process.
The amendment we made to the bill will make Brand USA even more
accountable and economically viable, moving forward.
Due to our efforts, the bill incorporates several recommendations
that the Government Accountability Office made in a 2013 report. The
Department of Commerce is now required to establish specific publicly
available timeframes and conditions for how Brand USA revises and
resolves disagreements related to its in-kind contribution policy.
Having a set policy will not only promote greater transparency, but
it will also, in the words of GAO, ``enable productive interactions and
facilitate collaboration.''
GAO has also suggested that Brand USA be directed to develop a plan
that specifies timeframes, methodologies, and data sources for
measuring its performance and the campaign's impact.
By explicitly requiring those criteria, the bill now gives the
organization more direction on the type of information it should
collect and establishes metrics that can more effectively determine the
success of the program.
I was glad that the bill's sponsors proposed lowering the cap on in-
kind contributions in the underlying bill, and I am thankful that Mr.
Bilirakis joined me to offer an amendment to lower the cap even further
during the full committee markup last week.
Every contribution to Brand USA, whether public or private, cash or
in-kind, is important to the organization's ongoing success, but I
believe that the program is in the best possible position to maintain
and build on its success through robust cash contributions by the
private sector.
Brand USA's continued long-term success is essential to communities
that--like my district--realize the economic and cultural benefits of
tourism and travel. Brand USA has been successful in its first few
years, and I firmly believe that this legislation improves the program
even more.
Again, I applaud Brand USA for its ongoing efforts to encourage
people from all over the world to enjoy everything our country has to
offer, and I assure the chairman of our subcommittee that we will
benefit not just coast to coast, but also the center of the country as
well.
I thank the sponsors for their continued efforts to ensure the
longevity of this valuable program and strongly encourage my colleagues
to support this important bill.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton), the full committee
chair.
Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, this bill, the Travel Promotion, Enhancement,
and Modernization Act of 2014--yes, it is a very important bill that is
going to increase jobs and boost the economy by promoting the U.S. as a
world-class travel destination.
The bill reauthorizes Brand USA and increases program accountability
and transparency, thanks in large part to the amendments and the
regular process that we went through in committee.
In 2013, Brand USA generated an additional 1.1 million visitors to
the U.S. and, as the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Terry) said, $3.4
billion in additional spending at U.S. businesses.
This increase in spending triggered the creation of more than 53,000
American jobs and $2.2 billion in payroll, so Brand USA delivers all
those benefits to the U.S. economy at no cost to the American
taxpayers--no cost.
Earlier this month in my district, I held a roundtable to discuss the
benefits of tourism and how this program contributes to southwest
Michigan's economy.
We had local legislators. We had chambers of commerce. We had tourism
organizations. We had State officials. It was noted that in my
district, in southwest Michigan, we had nearly $1 billion in spending
in 2012, supporting over 9,300 jobs and $200 million in payroll
annually just for tourists. There was $1 billion spent in southwest
Michigan by tourists.
It was also noted that the reauthorization of this bill was their
number one priority. It expires next year, and one of the commitments
that I made was to see if we could move it in an expeditious manner to
give the Senate a little time, so that it doesn't get caught up later
on and we can just get it off our plate, knowing in fact that it was
bipartisan from the get-go.
I applaud particularly the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis),
who is going to speak a little bit later, and his colleague from
Vermont (Mr. Welch), who are both very good members on our committee,
for their working together and their leadership to spearhead this
bipartisan bill.
I was glad to see it pass on a recorded vote that was unanimous in
subcommittee and in full committee as well, and I appreciate the
leadership of the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky) and the
gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman) as we work through this bill and
to really get it to the floor as quickly as we can.
These are jobs. This is not a cost to the American taxpayer. It ought
to be something that we can pass on a pretty good vote this afternoon.
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman
from Nevada, Dina Titus, from a place that certainly benefits from
tourism and is a place where many of us go to have fun.
Ms. TITUS. I thank my friend from Illinois for yielding and for
visiting my district whenever she can.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4450, the Travel
Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act of 2014. I am an original
cosponsor of this legislation, and I thank my friend from Florida (Mr.
Bilirakis) for his leadership on this issue.
During the 111th Congress, I was proud to be an original cosponsor of
the first Travel Promotion Act, which actually established Brand USA.
Prior to the passage of that act, the United States was one of the only
countries in the world that did not promote its unique destination to
foreign visitors.
Since its creation, Brand USA has played a critical role in bringing
foreign visitors to destinations throughout the United States,
including my district of Las Vegas.
Through innovative, targeted, and effective marketing campaigns,
Brand USA has directly connected foreign visitors with world-famous
destinations in Nevada's First Congressional District, including the
fabulous strip; the new arts district; and the hip, edgy downtown
section of Las Vegas.
Foreign visitors to the United States are critical for the success of
the travel and tourism industry. Average foreign visitors stay 17 days
in the United States and spend $4,500 during their visit. This
certainly creates jobs in Las Vegas and around the country.
Brand USA has been very effective in bringing more of these visitors
to the United States. For example, as you have heard, in 2013, Brand
USA was directly responsible for a million new visits, generating $3.4
billion in new visitor spending and supporting 53,000 U.S. jobs, and
this is all without spending a dime of taxpayer dollars.
Today, we have a chance to reauthorize the work that began with the
Travel Promotion Act and remains so critical to our economy still
today.
I look forward to continuing my work with Brand USA to support the
travel and tourism industry, to bring more visitors to Las Vegas and to
other destinations around the country, from the Grand Canyon to Niagara
Falls, Chicago, and even Nebraska, so I urge my colleagues to support
H.R. 4450.
Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), the author and chief negotiator of this bill,
who worked in a very bipartisan way and allowed the bill to come out of
our committee unanimously.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his good work on
this bill, as well as his leadership on this very important
subcommittee, and I appreciate it very much.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4450, the Travel Promotion, Enhancement, and
Modernization Act, which would reauthorize Brand USA for a limited
time, adds numerous accountability measures and strengthens the
transparency of the
[[Page H6629]]
public-private partnership that promotes increased tourism to the
United States.
Passage of H.R. 4450 will be good for the economy. It is a jobs bill,
Mr. Speaker. A recent analysis performed by the independent firm Oxford
Economics estimated that, in fiscal year 2013, Brand USA generated 1.1
million additional international visitors who spent an estimated $3.4
billion, generating economic revenue and supporting job creation in
communities across America.
Brand USA does not impose a cost upon the Federal Government. It has
helped to reduce the deficit during the last 2 fiscal years and is
expected to continue to do so. In fact, the respected and nonpartisan
Congressional Budget Office estimates that H.R. 4450 will reduce the
deficit by $231 million over 10 years. It is a win-win, Mr. Speaker.
It is important to note that Federal taxpayer dollars are not used to
fund Brand USA. Brand USA is supported by international visitors and
voluntary private sector contributors.
After it receives contribution from the private sector, Brand USA can
only collect up to $100 million in matching funds from fees paid by
foreign travelers. Amounts collected in excess of that cap are returned
to the Treasury for deficit reduction.
{time} 1800
Finally, given the benefits to the economy across State lines, as
well as the competitive nature of foreign competitors in travel
promotion, Congress is well within its authority under the Commerce
Clause to extend the Travel Promotion Act. Small State and local
tourism offices and local small businesses across America are some of
the strongest supporters of the Travel Promotion Act and benefit
greatly from international tourism. Brand USA helps bridge these
communities and opens up new markets to American competition.
I appreciate consideration of this legislation, which several
commentators have noted includes important reforms. This bill improves
an already existing partnership, Mr. Speaker.
I thank Chairman Upton for his leadership, again, the subcommittee
chair, Chairman Terry, doing an outstanding job, all those who have
contributed to this bill, our lead cosponsor, Mr. Peter Welch, and the
cochair of the Tourism Caucus, Mr. Farr--who I believe will speak in a
few minutes--for their work on this legislation, and also the ranking
member of the subcommittee, Ms. Schakowsky. I urge support of this
prudent and narrow reauthorization of the Travel Promotion Act.
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. It is now my pleasure to yield for such time as he
may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Farr), who is from a
beautiful area of the country.
Mr. FARR. Thank you very much for yielding. Thank you for your
leadership on this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill for many reasons. The
first reason is that America needs to market itself. You think that,
oh, everybody loves America, but I found in my travels in talking with
people that not everybody has the same opinion about America. Right
now, if you turn on your television, the rest of the world is trying to
get people who live in this country to go travel to their country--go
to Spain; go to the Caribbean; go to New Zealand; go everywhere; go to
Canada. It is all trying to get our people to be tourists in their
country.
Well, finally, we did something about it. We have been doing this in
agriculture for a long time. With the Agricultural Marketing Act, we
decided, well, let's market America. Let's tell people what this great
country is, how you can get here, and what you are going to see when
you get here. It has had a tremendous effect. It really has. It, to me,
is the biggest jump-starter for jobs that we can do because tourism is
everywhere. It is all those things. It is little restaurants. It is
museums. It is essentially Washington, D.C., from parks to rivers to
everything. That is what America is made of.
There is also, I think, in this hot world right now, this complicated
world--the news is full of bad stuff, and, unfortunately, America,
because of all our movies and television, also has an opinion of people
this is the most dangerous country in the world to visit. We have got
to get over that, because everybody who comes here finds that it is not
true at all. It is very friendly people and wonderful help. So it is
very important. It is kind of foreign policy to say: Come on, come see
this great country, this little pillar of the world, and meet the
people.
Next year, we are going to have the 100th anniversary of our National
Park System. We are the only country in the world that has a national
park system like this one. They are the most beautiful places in
America.
I would suggest that, frankly, this is a great, bipartisan product.
Mr. Bilirakis and I have been cochairs of this Tourism Caucus. We have
been trying to get every Member to join. It was interesting; we got
more Democrats to join the caucus than Republicans. And hopefully now
with this bill and this sort of discussion of how important this is to
your local districts, and there is isn't a chamber of commerce in the
United States that isn't watching this vote and hoping that we will
pass this bill because those tourists, just like politics, all of it is
local. All tourism is local. They go to some community, and they go to
the main street and they help the small businesses.
I represent a pretty remote area of California called Big Sur, a
beautiful coastline. The foreign tourists are carrying the economy of
that area by their visits. The Europeans are visiting it in greater
numbers than ever before. If you talk to any of the merchants, they
will say, but for that European travel after the recession we have had,
we wouldn't be recovering like it is.
So I want every Member of Congress to join our caucus because what do
we do? Caucuses produce things. We produced this reauthorization, a
bill, and Mr. Bilirakis as cochair carried it, and he has done a
tremendous job. It is important that we focus for a moment on the
importance of tourism as an industry just like steel, electronics, and
airlines, but it is made up of all these other parts. That industry is
in every single congressional district. If this is the tide that lifts
the ships that bring the tourists here, it is also the tide that will
help leave that tourist tax dollar, that tourist expenditure dollar in
our local community and hire people to be a service-oriented industry.
So I applaud our colleagues in Congress for reauthorizing. We have
done this before without controversy because it is a pay-for. It is
already paid for. It is not a tax. It is a fee that is levied on
tourists coming to this country to get a visa, and a portion of that
fee then goes into paying for this promotion. So it is a win-win. It is
a job promotion, and it is good for everybody. I hope we get a
unanimous vote on both sides of the aisle, and I hope those that vote
for it will also join the Tourism Caucus.
Mr. TERRY. At this time, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
southern Florida (Mr. Jolly).
Mr. JOLLY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4450, legislation to
reauthorize the public-private program that is often known as Brand
USA. This is a bill that was passed unanimously by the subcommittee and
by voice vote through the full committee. I understand questions have
been raised today, so let's address some very specific, important
components of this legislation.
First, in 1981, Ronald Reagan signed the National Tourism Policy Act
to promote the United States as a destination for international
tourism, to expand our economy, and to grow jobs here in the United
States. In 2009, this body passed the Travel Promotion Act.
Second, this is an activity that extends across State lines bringing
this bill, this legislation, within the article I Commerce Clause
authority of this body, the constitutional authority of this body.
Third, no Federal taxpayer dollars are used to fund Brand USA. It is
funded by industry contributions and by international visitors. The
United States is the only major destination that does not fund its
promotion programs through taxpayer dollars. It is through private
contributions of industry matched by international traveler fees.
There is a cap on the program, the amount of funds it can expend from
those fees collected from international visitors; and when the funds
exceed that cap, that money is returned to the Treasury for deficit
reduction. In FY13,
[[Page H6630]]
that was $27 million in deficit reduction to benefit the taxpayers.
This bill was recently scored, and over the next 10 years, this would
reduce the deficit, contribute to the Treasury $231 million not from
taxpayers but from international travelers.
This bill rightly is supported by associations and organizations
across the country, from hotel and lodging, including those in Florida,
from business travel to cruise lines to amusement parks, shopping
malls, restaurants, convention and visitors' bureaus, the U.S. Olympic
Committee, and in my home State, by the organization Visit Florida. And
rightly so.
Let's revisit why. There is no cost to the Federal Government by this
program. There is no cost to the U.S. taxpayer for this program. This
program reduces the Federal deficit, and it fosters economic growth in
communities across the country, in each and every one of our
congressional districts that we are sent here to represent.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the discussion that is being had on this
bill, but I ask my colleagues, let's not stand in our own way when it
comes to sensible, good legislation that we can pass to promote the
economy across the country and in the communities that we represent.
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, can I ask how many minutes remain on
either side?
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from Illinois has 10\1/2\
minutes remaining. The gentleman from Nebraska has 7\1/2\ minutes
remaining.
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. I have no more speakers, but I want to just make a
couple of comments. I think in addition to this being a really
important bill and recognized in a bipartisan way, I hope Members on
both sides of the aisle will realize how good it feels when we work
together, and maybe this could be the beginning or a model for how we
can deal with legislation. There were some changes to the bill. We sat
down. We agreed on them. We worked it out, and we have a product at the
end of the day. It is called compromise. It is not a dirty word. We
have achieved, I think, an excellent product.
The other thing I wanted to mention, we have talked about Big Sur,
Carmel, Las Vegas, and other places. I just wanted to say that I am
kind of pushing an idea for an organization called To Chicago, which is
our tourism bureau to bring people to Chicago, especially for the
summer. I thought a really good idea would be to promote: Come to
Chicago, swim in Chicago, no sharks. And so I thought I would use this
opportunity to push my ``no sharks'' idea for Chicago. You could add
``no salt'' as well, but I thought particularly ``no sharks.'' We have
beautiful beaches in Chicago. So I am trying to get To Chicago under
the banner of brand Chicago to promote my good idea of no sharks.
But there are so many ideas I think that we have for many small
communities. I was in the delta of Louisiana at the original blues bars
and blues restaurants down there, and all of us have something
wonderful and unique in our communities. That is what Brand USA is
about, to bring tourists not only to the likely suspects of places but
to so many of our communities so they get the real flavor of the
people, the diversity, the color, the smell, the feel, and the sound of
the United States of America. So this is a great piece of legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I am going to continue to reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Colorado (Mr. Gardner).
Mr. GARDNER. Mr. Speaker, I will take this time to talk about Brand
USA. To the chairman of the subcommittee, thank you for your leadership
on this important, bipartisan issue. I am proud to be a cosponsor of
this legislation and urge its favorable passage today.
Just looking at the Colorado Tourism Office, just reading the
Colorado tourism industry facts, it starts with saying that tourism
equals jobs and revenue for Colorado. It is a vital piece of our
economy. Tourism is one of the largest industries in Colorado in terms
of jobs, employing 144,000 people in the tourism sector. Overall, these
employees earn $4.1 billion annually, contributing to State revenue
through income taxes. And, in fact, it is a little known fact that,
without the taxes that are paid by tourists who visit from out of
country, out of State to Colorado, the average Colorado family would
have to pay an additional $407 a year in taxes to make up for the money
that would be lost if we didn't have those tourism dollars being spent
in Colorado. It has been a tremendous success.
When it comes to Brand USA, a quick look at the work that Brand USA
has done in Colorado, partnering with Colorado to market the State to
international visitors--marketing activities include both traditional
media from TV display out of homes, social media, and more--but also
our work in Colorado when it comes to craft beer being featured as part
of Brand USA's 2014 Great American Road Trip, talking about the work we
are doing in Colorado, thousands of people being employed in a new and
growing industry.
Colorado was featured in Brand USA's 2014 inspirational visitors'
guide, over 16 international audiences exposed because of Brand USA's
international visitors' guide, which will generate over 30 million
impressions through Brand USA. The list goes on and on, the work that
we do.
I think it is also important to highlight the work Colorado has done
with Brand USA's Discover America Pavilion at international trade shows
around the world, like the Japanese Association of Travel Agents, work
that we can do to highlight the opportunities to come to the United
States, to create opportunities, perhaps a tourist the first time but a
business partner the next time. I think it is a number of jobs that we
can create.
Again, I thank the chairman for his work on this legislation, the
bipartisan support for the legislation, and urge its passage today with
the support of the House of Representatives.
{time} 1815
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I will close by just thanking the
gentleman--all of the gentlemen--and ladies who have participated in
making this important legislation come to fruition.
I do hope we are able to move it very quickly and, hopefully,
unanimously here, move it over to the Senate and get it done right
away. I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill to extend the
Brand USA program and ensure it is successful, accountable, and
transparent going forward.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to
close.
I want to thank Jan Schakowsky, the ranking member, for her great
work on this bill. She and I understand and have worked together in a
very bipartisan way to try and encourage more foreign investment in the
United States.
That builds our economy and helps to create jobs when you bring money
from outside the United States in. We had a bill that passed earlier,
overwhelmingly in this House, that is sitting over in the Senate, to do
a study to figure out what the barriers are to direct foreign
investment in the United States.
This is the easy lift here. This is providing visas to people from
all around the world that want to come spend some time in the United
States because they want to go to the Windy City on the big Ferris
wheel on the pier or to one of our great amusement parks or to Colorado
skiing. We attract people from all over the world. We have to encourage
them.
There is a worldwide competition for the tourism dollar, and we need
to make sure that the United States is competitive, and Brand USA is
that program that promotes the United States, so that the tourists come
here, whether it is from Brazil to go shopping in the Miami area--which
is very popular--or whatever they want to do as their destination.
When they decide to make that trip, they get a visitor's visa, and
they pay a fee for that visa. The interesting part is when some of that
money is then invested in Brand USA through this act, over that period
of the year, there is actually more dollars that go towards budget or
deficit reduction than are used for the processing and for Brand USA,
so it actually reduces our deficit. Who wouldn't want that?
It is also the point that it creates jobs, and I think of this bill
more as a jobs bill. 53,000 jobs per year are supported because of
Brand USA and foreign visitors to the United States--1.1
[[Page H6631]]
million visitors directly from Brand USA.
I would like to see us do 2 million next year, but we are only going
to do that if there is a way to get the word out around the world that
we want visitors to the United States, so this is a great bill.
Gus Bilirakis, the gentleman from Florida that worked this bill,
resolved all of the major issues. He negotiated, and this is now a
voluntary program on the business side, not compulsory.
I don't think there are any real issues here, any barriers or bumps
here, so I think we should have a unanimous vote on this. Therefore, I
encourage all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote
``yea'' on this great pro-U.S.A. bill.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, as co-chair of the Congressional Travel and
Tourism Caucus, I am pleased to see the House of Representatives take
up the Travel Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act of 2014
today. I want to thank my caucus co-chair, Rep. Gus Bilirakis, for
introducing this legislation to reauthorize Brand USA--our nation's
Destination Marketing Organization or DMO.
This legislation will allow our country to continue its success in
the international travel and tourism market, bringing greater numbers
of international visitors to our shores. These travelers provide a
substantial boost to our economy and produce many U.S. jobs. Did you
know that international visitors coming to the United States are
measured as an export? They are, and travel and tourism is the top
export industry. Number One! Seventy million international visitors,
spending over $180 billion, have produced a trade surplus every year
since 1989--and Brand USA is a crucial part of this. Brand USA's most
recent annual report showed that FY13 saw an increase of 1.1 million
visitors. That increase brings an additional $3.4 billion in spending
to our economy and supports over 50,000 new jobs.
International visitors are drawn to America's well known destinations
like New York, Los Angeles, Orlando, and Chicago. And yet, it is our
``amber waves of grain'' and ``purple mountain majesties'' that attract
travelers to all corners of our country. Our scenery sells us to the
world and the upcoming 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service
will highlight some of our most notable scenery.
Brand USA's efforts bring substantial benefits to our economy with a
return on investment of more than 30 to 1. If only my investments did
this well. This unbeatable value is done at no U.S. taxpayer expense.
Funding for this program is provided by the international visitors who
come to the United States.
Mr. Speaker, I like to point out that travel and tourism is in every
state, every territory, and congressional district across this country,
and I encourage all my colleagues to join Rep. Bilirakis and myself in
supporting America's travel and tourism industry by voting aye for this
bipartisan legislation.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that today the House will
consider H.R. 4450 and I rise in strong support of this legislation. I
would like to thank Congressman Bilirakis for his leadership in
bringing this bill to the House floor, and also the Tourism Caucus and
co-sponsors for their support.
One of the most important amendments in H.R. 4450 includes the U.S.
territories among the states and the District of Columbia whose
benefits the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Travel Promotion
plan must ensure. This provision is particularly important to my
district- the U.S. Virgin Islands--where tourism is the primary
economic activity. The Virgin Islands normally host approximately 2
million visitors a year, many of whom visit on cruise ships.
Tourism is a critical component of economic development in the U.S.
Virgin Islands; especially with the closure of the oil refinery,
HOVENSA, on St. Croix. The closure eliminated close to 1,200 refinery
positions and raised our unemployment rate to the double digits. The
ripple effect also included school closures, home foreclosures and a
large number of residents leaving the island. As the Virgin Islands
struggles to turn around its economy, it is critical that we continue
to grow and sustain our tourism industry. Including the territories in
the Corporation's promotion plan will significantly support these
efforts. The territories are a major destination point for national and
international travelers alike and should be a focal point for the
Corporation.
H.R. 4450 is sponsored by more than a third of the House of
Representatives, and almost equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats.
Independent analysis by the Congressional Budget Office and the U.S.
Travel Association concluded that the bill would reduce the federal
deficit by $231 million over a year and not cost taxpayers a dime, all
while creating jobs and economic opportunities in communities across
America.
I think it is a Win-Win situation for our nation's economy and I urge
my colleagues to support H.R. 4450.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Terry) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 4450, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. MASSIE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
____________________