Committee Approves Bill to Boost Tourism and Job Creation
Press Release
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce today approved H.R. 4450, the Travel Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act, by voice vote. The bipartisan bill, introduced by Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Peter Welch (D-VT), reauthorizes funding for Brand USA, a public-private partnership originally created by the Travel Promotion Act of 2009 that helps market U.S. destinations to international travelers at no cost to taxpayers. Bilirakis' bill also includes important reforms to increase transparency and accountability in the program.
"Passage of H.R. 4450 will be good for the economy. It's a jobs bill," said Bilirakis. "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 dollars, generating economic revenue and supporting job creation in communities across America."
Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee Chairman Lee Terry (R-NE) said, "I thank Congressman Bilirakis for his hard work not only in crafting a smart bill with appropriate reforms, but also gaining bipartisan support. Now, Florida and California are known worldwide for tourist attractions like Disneyland, Hollywood, and Disney World. But the travel industry is a huge economic driver across the rest of the nation as well. Without using taxpayer dollars, the program greatly increases tourism and adds jobs across the nation."
Full committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) added, "This bill would reauthorize funding for Brand USA and increase accountability and transparency of the program. Just last week I held a roundtable in my district to discuss the tremendous benefits -- thousands of local jobs and roughly a billion dollars contributed to the economy annually in Southwest Michigan alone -- that come from tourism. Extending Brand USA will help market the United States as a world-class destination, and continue to attract visitors and economic growth to local communities."
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