Travel Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act of 2014

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Travel Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act of 2014
Great Seal of the United States
Full title To extend the Travel Promotion Act of 2009, and for other purposes.
Introduced in 113th United States Congress
Introduced on April 10, 2014
Sponsored by Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (R, FL-12)
Number of Co-Sponsors 40
Effects and Codifications
U.S.C. section(s) affected 22 U.S.C. § 2131, 8 U.S.C. § 1187, 15 U.S.C. § 7265
Agencies affected U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Government Accountability Office, United States Congress, United States Department of Commerce
Legislative history

The Travel Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act of 2014 (H.R. 4450) was a bill that would have extended the provisions of the Travel Promotion Act of 2009 (Pub.L. 111–145), which established the Corporation for Travel Promotion (also known as Brand USA), through September 30, 2020, and imposed new performance and procurement requirements on the corporation.[1] The bill also would have extended the authority of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to collect travel promotion fees from certain foreign individuals traveling to the United States. Those fees were to be used to partially fund Brand USA.[1]

The bill was introduced and passed in the United States House of Representatives, but was not passed in the Senate. It expired at the conclusion of the 113th United States Congress.

Background

The Travel Promotion Act of 2009 (Pub.L. 111–145) created the Corporation for Travel Promotion (also known as Brand USA), a public-private partnership tasked with promoting tourism in the United States.[2] To fund the Corporation's activities, the Act provides for a fee of $10 for use of the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). The goal of the organization is to increase international travel to the United States.[2] Prior to 2010, the United States was "the only major travel destination worldwide that did not have a national travel and tourism marketing organization."[3]

Provisions of the bill

This summary is based largely on the summary provided by the Congressional Research Service, a public domain source.[4]

The Travel Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act of 2014 would amend the Travel Promotion Act of 2009 (TPA) to revise qualifications requirements for members of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Travel Promotion.[4]

The bill would revise requirements for the Corporation's annual report to the United States Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) to require a description of and rationales for: (1) the Corporation's efforts to focus on specific countries and populations, and (2) its combination of media channels employed in meeting the promotional objectives of its marketing campaign.[4]

The bill would direct the Corporation and the Secretary (or their designees) to meet biannually to review procedures to determine the fair market value of goods and services received by the Corporation from non-federal sources. Reduces from 80% to 75% the percentage of the fair market value of those goods and services the Corporation may receive from non-federal sources each fiscal year, increasing from 20% to 25% the federal matching rate.[4]

The bill would include U.S. territories among the states and the District of Columbia whose benefit the Corporation's international travel promotion plan must ensure.[4]

The bill would extend the TPA and the Corporation through FY2020.[4]

The bill would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to extend through FY2020 also the authority of the United States Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to charge a fee for use of the electronic travel authorization system to determine, in advance, an alien's eligibility to travel to the United States.[4]

The bill would amend the TPA to require the Corporation to establish performance metrics to: (1) measure the impact of its marketing efforts, and (2) demonstrate any cost or benefit to the U.S. economy.[4]

The bill would require the Corporation to report to Congress actions it has taken in response to any recommendations the Government Accountability Office (GAO) might make to it.[4]

The bill would require the Corporation to: (1) establish a competitive procurement process, and (2) certify in its annual report to Congress that any contracts it has entered into were in compliance with that process.[4]

Congressional Budget Office report

This summary is based largely on the summary provided by the Congressional Budget Office, as ordered reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on July 15, 2014. This is a public domain source.[1]

H.R. 4450 would extend the provisions of the Travel Promotion Act of 2009 (Pub.L. 111–145), which established the Corporation for Travel Promotion (also known as Brand USA), through September 30, 2020, and impose new performance and procurement requirements on the corporation. The bill also would extend the authority of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to collect travel promotion fees from certain foreign individuals traveling to the United States. Those fees are used to partially fund Brand USA.[1]

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that enacting H.R. 4450 would increase direct spending by $500 million and revenues by $731 million over the 2015-2024 period, resulting in a net decrease in the deficit of $231 million over the 10-year period. Pay-as-you-go procedures apply because enacting the legislation would affect direct spending and revenues. CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 4450 would not significantly affect discretionary spending.[1]

H.R. 4450 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.[1]

Procedural history

The Travel Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act of 2014 was introduced into the United States House of Representatives on April 10, 2014 by Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (R, FL-12).[5] The bill was referred to the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce, the United States House Committee on Homeland Security, the United States House Energy Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade, the United States House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security. On July 15, 2014, it was ordered reported (amended) alongside House Report 113-542 part 1 by the House Energy and Commerce Committee.[5] On July 22, 2014, the House voted in Roll Call Vote 433 to pass the bill 347-57. All of the no votes were made by Republicans.[6]

Debate and discussion

The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) supported the bill.[2] ASTA President Zane Kerby said that the bill "is essential to marketing the United States as a desirable destination for international tourists, conferences and business."[2]

The U.S. Travel Association also supported the bill.[3] One study of the program by Oxford Economics indicated that the program "generates an estimated $47 in economic benefits for every $1 spent on travel promotion."[3]

The organization Heritage Action for America opposed the bill.[7]

See also

References

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  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Government.

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