[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 16093-16095]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION BUSINESS TRAVEL CARDS ACT OF 2011

  Mr. TURNER of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 2042) to require the Secretary of Homeland 
Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to establish a 
program to issue Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel 
Cards, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2042

       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 ``Asia-Pacific Economic 
     Cooperation Business Travel Cards Act of 2011''.

     SEC. 2. ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION BUSINESS TRAVEL 
                   CARDS.

       (a) In General.--Not later than November 11, 2011, the 
     Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the 
     Secretary of State, shall establish a program called the 
     ``APEC Business Travel Program'' to issue Asia-Pacific 
     Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards (ABTC) to eligible 
     United States citizen business leaders and senior United 
     States Government officials actively engaged in Asia-Pacific 
     Economic Cooperation (APEC) business.
       (b) Integration With Existing Travel Programs.--The 
     Secretary of Homeland Security shall integrate application 
     procedures for and issuance of ABTC with other appropriate 
     international registered traveler programs of the Department 
     of Homeland Security, such as Global Entry, NEXUS, and 
     SENTRI.
       (c) Cooperation With Private Entities.--In carrying out 
     this section, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall work 
     in conjunction with appropriate private sector entities to 
     ensure that applicants for ABTC satisfy ABTC requirements. 
     The Secretary of Homeland Security may utilize such entities 
     to enroll and issue ABTC to qualified applicants.
       (d) Fee.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security may 
     impose a fee for the issuance of ABTC, and may modify such 
     fee from time to time as the Secretary determines 
     appropriate.
       (2) Limitation.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
     ensure that the total amount of any fees imposed under 
     paragraph (1) in any fiscal year does not exceed the costs 
     associated with carrying out this section in such fiscal 
     year.
       (3) Crediting to appropriate account.--Fees collected under 
     paragraph (1) shall be credited to the appropriate account of 
     the Department of Homeland Security and are authorized to 
     remain available until expended.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Turner) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Loretta 
Sanchez) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mr. TURNER of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include any extraneous material on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TURNER of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I rise in support of H.R. 2042, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 
Business Travel Cards Act of 2011.
  This measure is needed to grant to the Department of Homeland 
Security the authority to issue ``APEC'' business cards, ABTC, as part 
of their overall Trusted Traveler programs operated by Customs and 
Border Protection for expedited reentry into the United States.
  The APEC Business Travel Cards program is an initiative of the Asia-
Pacific Economic Cooperation forum and is designed to facilitate 
commerce by promoting fast and efficient travel of eligible 
businesspeople and government officials within the Asian-Pacific 
region.
  This legislation will allow eligible U.S. business travelers to apply 
for Trusted Traveler cards for expedited entry to certain Asian-Pacific 
nations which are members of the APEC forum.
  As a transitional member of APEC, the United States already provides 
foreign business travelers who have APEC Business Travel Cards with 
expedited scheduling of visa interviews at U.S. Embassies and 
consulates and use of dedicated lanes of expedited entry when traveling 
to the United States.

                              {time}  1350

  However, since the United States has not yet issued cards for U.S. 
citizens who wish to participate in this program, Americans are 
currently unable to enjoy the same time-saving benefits that some 
70,000 foreign holders of APEC Business Travel Cards enjoy when coming 
to the United States.
  During these challenging economic times, we must all do what we can 
to facilitate business development, which includes encouraging 
international travel and negotiations. Expanding U.S. participation in 
the APEC Business Travel Card is a simple way to support these goals 
and facilitate travel, whether it be through LAX or JFK.
  Of note, this legislation would have no detriment on the homeland 
security of the United States as all foreign visitors who are citizens 
of an APEC member economy must continue to go through the standard 
travel procedures of obtaining a visa or filling out the Web-based 
Electronic System for Travel Authorization for Visa Waiver Program 
countries. Currently, 18 of the 21 APEC economies are full members of 
the APEC Business Travel Card program. The United States currently 
participates as a transitional member, along with Canada and Russia, 
and enacting this legislation will demonstrate U.S. commitment to 
economic integration and engagement in the Asia-Pacific region.
  This measure has strong bipartisan support and enjoys the support of 
the U.S. business community, including the National Center for APEC, 
the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the U.S. Travel Association.
  I urge Members to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2042. As a member of 
the Committee on Homeland Security and as a Representative from the 
great State of California, which has very strong economic ties to the 
Pacific region, I am proud to be a cosponsor of what I believe is one 
of the most important things that we can do with respect to trade and 
getting American jobs going.
  The primary goal of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 
organization is to support sustainable economic growth and prosperity 
in the Asia-Pacific region. The United States is among the group's 21-
member economies, which account for 55 percent of global GDP. They 
purchase 58 percent

[[Page 16094]]

of United States' goods exports and comprise a market of 2.7 billion 
consumers. Seven of America's top 15 trade partners are in APEC.
  This bill would require the Secretary of Homeland Security, in 
consultation with the Secretary of State, to establish a program to 
issue APEC Business Travel Cards to eligible U.S. citizen business 
leaders and senior United States Government officials who are actively 
engaged in APEC business. The APEC Business Travel Cards would expedite 
the individuals' international travel within the 21 APEC-member 
economies. There are similar cards already available to APEC travelers 
in the United States. H.R. 2042 would allow U.S. citizens to enjoy 
similar travel benefits abroad.
  It requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to integrate 
application procedures for and issuance of APEC Business Travel Cards 
with other appropriate international registered traveler programs of 
the Department of Homeland Security such as SENTRI, Global Entry and 
NEXUS, as well as some of the other programs we already have to 
expedite travel from one country into the other. Finally, the bill 
permits the Secretary of Homeland Security, of course, to impose a fee 
that would cover the cost of issuing these cards. H.R. 2042 is also 
supported by the Obama administration.
  Next month, the U.S. is hosting APEC for 2011, which is the first 
time since 1993. It's going to include meetings in Washington, D.C.; in 
Big Sky, Montana; and in San Francisco, California, culminating in the 
APEC Leaders Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii, in November. So I think it 
would be appropriate that the House pass H.R. 2042 in advance of this 
meeting next month.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TURNER of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
distinguished gentleman from the State of Texas (Mr. Brady).
  Mr. BRADY of Texas. I rise in support of H.R. 2042, the APEC Business 
Travel Card, and I appreciate working with my counterpart, Congressman 
Larsen, on this legislation.
  This bill provides security-vetted American business and government 
travelers the same time-saving benefits as their counterparts in other 
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation countries. The bill is supported by 
leaders in both parties, including the chairman of the Homeland 
Security Committee, Representative Peter King. I appreciate his 
leadership, as this provision was included in the authorizing bill 
recently reported by the House Committee on Homeland Security.
  The card was originally created to increase the economic engagement 
in a region that continues to grow and grow, and to expedite secure 
business travel for those who make frequent business trips to these 
economies. But today, the United States is only one of three economies 
within APEC that hasn't yet provided these travel cards to their 
frequent business travelers. This bill would allow Customs and Border 
Protection to issue the travel card to our citizens after conducting 
background checks, confirming frequent travel to the APEC region, and 
collecting fees to cover the full costs.
  The two big benefits beyond increased security is the equal treatment 
for Americans. Our counterparts, frequent business and government 
travelers, who do business within these countries in the region already 
enjoy these benefits. This provides it to United States citizens. 
Basically, it then makes sure we stay competitive in that region, which 
is a region that is growing economically and represents more than half 
of the world's economy. They buy almost 58 percent of what America 
sells, so they are, as Congresswoman Sanchez says, major new customers 
for our farmers and ranchers, for our technology companies, for our 
manufacturing companies, and for our service workers as well.
  I fully support this bill. It is important that our business 
travelers in America get out there to sell American products throughout 
this important region. It has strong business support, and I urge 
Member support as well.
  Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to 
the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Larsen).
  Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of 
H.R. 2042, the APEC Business Travel Card bill. This bill is bipartisan, 
and it levels the playing field for U.S. businessmen and -women who 
export their products into other APEC economies.
  Since joining the APEC Business Travel Card program as a transitional 
member in 2007, the U.S. has been extending the benefits of having an 
APEC Business Travel Card to foreign businessmen and -women in 18 other 
economies but not to our own. These benefits include being permitted to 
use the ``crew'' or designated ``APEC Business Travel Card'' lanes in 
airports when entering a country as well as having expedited visa 
processing. As of October 12, 2011, there were over 100,000 foreign 
ABTC holders--but no Americans.
  Today's legislation simply levels the playing field by directing the 
Department of Homeland Security to establish an APEC Business Travel 
Card that will allow Americans to use the card to gain expedited entry 
into participating APEC economies when they go abroad and use Customs 
and Border Protection's, or CBP's, Global Entry program for expedited 
reentry back into the United States. This will make travel throughout 
the Asia-Pacific region easier for American businessmen and -women and 
will help them to more efficiently sell their products overseas.
  I want to thank my good friend, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Brady), 
for his hard work on this bill as well as fellow APEC Caucus cochairs, 
the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) and the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Herger), for their support as well.
  The future of the United States is tied to the Asia-Pacific region. 
With the hosting of the APEC summit by the United States in less than a 
month, it is important that the APEC Business Travel Card program is 
established. I urge my colleagues to support this bill as well.
  In conclusion, I want to thank the leadership of this House for 
working with me and the gentleman from Texas to get this bill scheduled 
for House consideration.

                              {time}  1400

  Mr. TURNER of New York. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for 
time and am prepared to close once the gentlelady does.
  Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. I yield myself the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2042 represents a small but important step towards 
facilitating travel and enhancing business ties with our Asia-Pacific 
region, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TURNER of New York. Mr. Speaker, in closing, this bill is an 
opportunity to facilitate travel, promote economic growth, and enhance 
security.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2042 would require the 
Department of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Department of 
State, to establish a program to issue APEC Business Travel Cards to 
eligible United States business leaders and government officials.
  Under this program, U.S. citizens actively engaged in APEC business 
would receive expedited screening in international travel within the 21 
APEC member economies.
  H.R. 2042 requires DHS to integrate application procedures for and 
issuance of APEC Business Travel Cards with other appropriate DHS 
international trusted traveler programs such as Global Entry, NEXUS, 
and SENTRI.
  I strongly support those three DHS trusted traveler programs, which 
facilitate international travel for pre-approved, low-risk passengers 
while allowing DHS to focus its resources on higher-risk and unknown 
passengers.
  H.R. 2042 is supported by the Obama Administration, and I also 
support the bill.
  However, I am dismayed that with just 19 days left in the First 
Session of the 112th Congress, H.R. 2042 is the first Committee on 
Homeland Security bill to reach the House floor.
  I would note that the last time the Committee brought legislation to 
the House floor

[[Page 16095]]

was when I was still Chairman--at the end of December 2010.
  With respect to H.R. 2042, let the record reflect that the path to 
the floor involved bypassing Committee consideration. I did not object 
to this approach, given that the APEC conference is slated to commence 
in Hawaii next month.
  The Democratic Members of the Committee are committed to ensuring 
that the full breadth and depth of homeland security issues facing our 
Nation are addressed.
  To date, eighty homeland security bills have been introduced and 
referred to the Committee. The subject matter of these bills range from 
border security to aviation security to counterterrorism to 
preparedness and response.
  Unfortunately, only a handful of homeland security bills have 
actually been considered in Committee and only one has been reported to 
the House. That bill is now pending before another Committee.
  The failure of the Committee on Homeland Security to advance 
meaningful homeland security legislation that speaks to the oversight 
finding of the Committee in the 112th Congress is inexcusable.
  Though I recognize that the hour is late on the congressional 
calendar, I sincerely hope that consideration of H.R 2042 today signals 
the commencement of a more active legislative period for the Committee.
  Nevertheless, I urge the House to support H.R. 2042 today.
  Mr. HERGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the APEC Business 
Travel Cards Act because it is another measure that helps create a 
favorable environment for job creation. As a co-chair of the APEC 
Caucus, I strongly believe that continued engagement in the Asia-
Pacific region is critical to U.S. economic growth. The Asia-Pacific 
region is the most economically dynamic region in the world, home to 
two-thirds of the world's population and over half of all global trade. 
The legislation before us will help American businesses be more 
competitive in these growing markets. The easier our businesses can 
access these foreign markets, the more they can sell American goods and 
services abroad. The United States already recognizes the APEC Business 
Travel Card held by foreign nationals, giving them expedited travel 
processing. It is past time that we allow American businesses leaders 
around the country the same travel benefits that foreign APEC 
businesses travelers have been enjoying for years. This is a common 
sense bill that streamlines travel for American businesses that are 
trying to grow and reach customers in foreign markets. This legislation 
is long overdue and I urge my colleagues to support it.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Turner) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 2042.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________