,,ii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #chca ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #ba1 #bjbj,mr4 ,sullivan 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,schatz1 and ,mr4 ,king7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation ,a ,,bill ,to authorize the position of ,assistant ,secretary of ,commerce for ,travel and ,tourism1 to statutorily establish the ,united ,states ,travel and ,tourism ,advisory ,board1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,visit ,america ,act4 #b4 ,purposes ,the purposes of this ,act are-- 7#a7 to support the travel and tourism industry1 which produces economic impacts that are vital our national economy2 7#b7 to address the recent decline in the percentage of international travelers who visit the ,united ,states2 and 7#c7 to establish national goals for international visitors to the ,united ,states1 including-- 7,a7 recommendations for achieving such goals and timelines for implementing such recommendations2 7,b7 coordination between ,federal and ,state agencies2 7,c7 assessing the resources needed by each ,government agency to achieve such goals2 7,d7 setting national travel export goals2 and 7,e7 setting national domestic travel goals4 #c4 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 the national goal for international visitors referred to in section #b7c7 should reach #aaf1jjj1jjj per year by #bjbh2 7#b7 the national goal for travel exports referred to in section #b7c77;,d7 should reach #dde1jjj1jjj1jjj by #bjbh2 7#c7 the travel industry is an essential part of the ,united ,states services exports with respect to both business travel and leisure travel2 7#d7 the promotion of travel and visitation by ,brand ,,usa is vital to increasing visitation and articulating the visitation laws of the ,united ,states2 and 7#e7 there is an urgent need for a coordinated travel and tourism industry response and strategy in the event of unforeseen circumstances leading to a decline in travel or tourism4 #d4 ,assistant ,secretary for ,travel and ,tourism ,section #b7;d7 of the ,reorganization ,plan ,numbered #c of #aigi 7#ic ,stat4 #achb2 #e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app47 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking ,there shall be in the ,department two additional ,assistant ,secretaries and inserting 7#a7 ,there shall be in the ,department #c additional ,assistant ,secretaries1 including the ,assistant ,secretary of ,commerce for ,travel and ,tourism12 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7#b7 ,the ,assistant ,secretary of ,commerce for ,travel and ,tourism shall-- 7,a7 be appointed by the ,president1 subject to the advise and consent of the ,senate2 and 7,b7 report directly to the ,under ,secretary for ,international ,trade4 4 #e4 ,responsibilities of the ,assistant ,secretary of ,commerce for ,travel and ,tourism 7a7 ,visitation goals ,the ,assistant ,secretary of ,commerce for ,travel and ,tourism 7referred to in this section as the ,assistant ,secretary71 appointed pursuant to section #b7;d7 of the ,reorganization ,plan ,numbered #c of #aigi1 as amended by section #d1 shall-- 7#a7 establish an annual goal for-- 7,a7 the number of international visitors to the ,united ,states1 which shall reach #aaf1jjj1jjj by #bjbh2 and 7,b7 travel exports1 which shall reach #dde1jjj1jjj1jjj by #bjbh2 7#b7 develop recommendations for achieving such visitation goal2 7#c7 ensure coordination between-- 7,a7 the ,department of ,commerce1 the ,department of ,homeland ,security1 the ,department of ,state1 the ,department of ,transportation1 the ,department of ,labor for policy development and recommendations for utilizing3 7,b7 the ,national ,travel and ,tourism ,office2 7,c7 ,brand ,,usa2 7,d7 the ,united ,states ,travel and ,tourism ,advisory ,board2 7,e7 the ,task ,force on ,travel and ,tourism established by ,executive ,order #aceig of ,january #ai1 #bjab2 and 7,f7 travel industry partners1 including public and private destination marketing organizations and travel and tourism suppliers2 7#d7 establish short-1 medium-1 and long-term timelines for implementing the recommendations developed pursuant to paragraph 7#b72 and 7#e7 conduct ,federal agency needs assessments to identify the resources1 statutory or regulatory changes1 and private sector engagement needed to achieve the annual visitation goals4 7b7 ,visa adjudication ,the ,assistant ,secretary-- 7#a7 in coordination with the ,secretary of ,state and the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security1 shall provide support for improving visitor visa processing with respect to-- 7,a7 the maximum time for processing visas1 by visitation type2 7,b7 recommending regulatory and policy changes needed to meet such visa processing goals1 including technology1 processing centers1 and training2 and 7,c7 a plan for streamlining visa applications and adjudications1 including application design and data collection procedures2 and 7#b7 shall explore opportunities to establish pilot programs to integrate technology into the visitor visa adjudication process1 including video conferencing and biometrics4 7c7 ,domestic travel ,the ,assistant ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 conduct a study to identify domestic competitiveness with respect to-- 7,a7 the strengths and weaknesses of the domestic travel industry2 and 7,b7 the external opportunities and challenges to domestic tourism2 7#b7 develop recommendations and goals to support domestic tourism1 separated by business and leisure2 and 7#c7 engage public and private stakeholders to support domestic tourism4 7d7 ,workforce ,the ,assistant ,secretary-- 7#a7 in coordination with the ,secretary of ,labor1 shall provide timely and reliable workforce data regarding workforce and labor market needs2 7#b7 shall work to improve tourism industry data collection by the ,bureau of ,economic ,analysis2 and 7#c7 shall provide recommendations for policy enhancements and streamlining4 7e7 ,travel export promotion ,the ,assistant ,secretary1 in coordination with the ,director ,general of the ,united ,states and ,foreign ,commercial ,service1 shall work to promote and facilitate travel exports abroad and ensure competitiveness by-- 7#a7 participating in and organizing meetings1 incentives1 conferences1 and exhibitions2 7#b7 monitor visa adjudications2 7#c7 emphasizing rural and other destinations rich in cultural heritage or ecological tourism1 among other uniquely ,american destinations2 and 7#d7 promoting sports and recreation events and activities4 7f7 ,travel security ,the ,assistant ,secretary shall investigate and provide recommendations regarding utilizing and expanding existing security programs to better meet the needs of the ,united ,states travel and tourism industry1 including-- 7#a7 the ,visa ,waiver ,program authorized under section #bag of the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aahg72 7#b7 preclearance operations2 7#c7 the ,trusted ,traveler ,program2 and 7#d7 the biometric entry-exit control system required under section #aaj of the ,illegal ,immigration ,reform and ,immigrant ,responsibility ,act of #aiif 7division ,c of ,public ,law #ajd-bjh2 #h ,u4,s4,c4 #abba note74 7g7 ,recovery strategy 7#a7 ,initial recovery strategy ,not later than #fj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,assistant ,secretary1 in consultation with the ,united ,states ,travel and ,tourism ,advisory ,board and travel industry partners1 shall develop and implement a ,,covid-#ai pandemic recovery strategy to assist in the ,united ,states travel and tourism industry to quickly recover from the travel restrictions necessitated by the pandemic4 7#b7 ,future recovery strategies ,after assisting in the implementation of the strategy developed pursuant to paragraph 7#a71 the ,assistant ,secretary1 in consultation with the entities referred to in such paragraph1 shall develop additional recovery strategies for the travel and tourism industry in anticipation of other unforeseen catastrophic events that would significantly affect the travel and tourism industry1 such as hurricanes1 floods1 tsunamis1 tornadoes1 or pandemics4 7h7 ,reporting requirements 7#a7 ,assistant ,secretary ,the ,assistant ,secretary shall produce an annual forecasting report on the travel and tourism industry1 which shall include current and anticipated-- 7,a7 domestic employment needs2 7,b7 international inbound volume and spending1 taking into account the lasting effects of the ,,covid-#ai pandemic and the impact of the recovery strategy implemented pursuant to subsection 7g77#a72 7,c7 domestic volume and spending1 including ,federal and ,state public land travel and tourism data4 7#b7 ,bureau of ,economic ,analysis ,the ,director of the ,bureau of ,economic ,analysis should update the ,travel and ,tourism ,satellite ,accounts quarterly1 including-- 7,a7 ,state level travel and tourism export data2 7,b7 travel and tourism workforce data for full-time and part-time employment2 and 7,c7 ,federal and ,state public lands visitation and spending data4 7#c7 ,national ,travel and ,tourism ,office ,the ,director of the ,national ,travel and ,tourism ,office shall-- 7,a7 report international arrival and spending data on a regular monthly schedule2 and 7,b7 shall include questions in the ,survey of ,international ,air ,travelers regarding wait-times1 visits to public lands1 and ,state data1 to the extent applicable4 #f4 ,travel and tourism strategy 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,commerce1 in consultation with the ,united ,states ,travel and ,tourism ,advisory ,board1 shall develop and submit to ,congress a #aj-year travel and tourism strategy1 which shall include-- 7#a7 the feasibility of achieving-- 7,a7 #aaf1jjj1jjj annual international visitors to the ,united ,states by #bjbh2 and 7,b7 #dde1jjj1jjj1jjj in travel exports by #bjbh2 7#b7 the resources needed to achieve the goals set forth in paragraph 7#a72 and 7#c7 recommendations for statutory or regulatory changes that would be necessary to achieve such goals4 7b7 ,interagency coordination ,the ,secretary of ,commerce shall coordinate an interagency strategy with the ,secretary of ,state and the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security for-- 7#a7 identify impediments to reaching the goals referred to in subsection 7a77#a72 and 7#b7 recommends solutions for overcoming such impediments4 #g4 ,united ,states ,travel and ,tourism ,advisory ,board ,section #c of the ,act entitled ,an ,act to encourage travel in the ,united ,states1 and for other purposes 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #aedf7 is amended-- 7#a7 by amending the section heading to read as follows3 ,united ,states ,travel and ,tourism ,advisory ,board2 ,advisory ,committee for ,promotion of ,tourist ,travel2 and 7#b7 by striking ,the ,secretary of ,commerce is authorized and inserting the following3 7a7 ,united ,states ,travel and ,tourism ,advisory ,board 7#a7 ,in general ,there is established the ,united ,states ,travel and ,tourism ,advisory ,board 7referred to in this subsection as the ,board71 which shall be composed of not more than #cb members1 who shall be appointed by the ,secretary of ,commerce for #b-year terms from among companies and organizations in the travel and tourism industry4 7#b7 ,executive ,director ,the ,assistant ,secretary for ,travel and ,tourism shall serve as the ,executive ,director of the ,board4 7#c7 ,executive ,secretariat ,the ,national ,travel and ,tourism ,office of the ,international ,trade ,administration shall serve as the ,executive ,secretariat for the ,board4 7#d7 ,functions ,the ,board shall comply with its ,charter1 as established in #bjjc1 including-- 7,a7 serving as the advisory body to the ,secretary of ,commerce on matters relating to the travel and tourism industry in the ,united ,states2 7,b7 advising the ,secretary of ,commerce on government policies and programs that affect the ,united ,states travel and tourism industry2 7,c7 offering counsel on current and emerging issues2 7,d7 providing a forum for discussing and proposing solutions to problems related to the travel and tourism industry2 and 7,e7 examining the domestic travel and tourism industry as an economic engine4 7#e7 ,recovery strategy ,the ,board shall assist the ,assistant ,secretary in the development and implementation of the ,,covid-#ai pandemic recovery strategy required under section #e7;g77#a7 of the ,visit ,america ,act4 7b7 ,advisory ,committee for ,promotion of ,tourist ,travel ,the ,secretary of ,commerce is authorized 4