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Congressional Daily Record
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September 15, 2026
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Download official House Record PDFReturn to issue contextMr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 195) to amend the Visit America Act to promote music tourism, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 195
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 “American Music Tourism Act
of 2025”.
SEC. 2. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF
COMMERCE FOR TRAVEL AND TOURISM.
(a) Domestic Travel and Tourism.—Section 605(b) of the
Visit America Act (15 U.S.C. 9803(b)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (2), by striking “; and” and inserting a
semicolon;
(2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and
inserting “; and”; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
“(4) identify locations and events in the United States
that are important to music tourism and facilitate and
promote domestic travel and tourism to those locations and
events.”.
(b) Facilitation of International Business and Leisure
Travel.—Section 605 of the Visit America Act (15 U.S.C.
9803) is amended by striking subsection (d) and inserting the
following:
“(d) Facilitation of International Business and Leisure
Travel.—The Assistant Secretary, in coordination with
relevant Federal agencies, shall strive to increase and
facilitate international business and leisure travel to the
United States and ensure competitiveness by—
“(1) facilitating large meetings, incentives, conferences,
and exhibitions in the United States;
“(2) emphasizing rural and other destinations in the
United States that are rich in cultural heritage or
ecological tourism, among other uniquely American
destinations, as locations for hosting international
meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions;
“(3) facilitating and promoting international travel and
tourism to sports and recreation events and activities in the
United States; and
“(4) identifying locations and events in the United States
that are important to music tourism and facilitating and
promoting international travel and tourism to those locations
and events.”.
(c) Reporting Requirements.—Section 605(f) of the Visit
America Act (15 U.S.C.
9803(f)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(4) Report on goals relating to domestic and
international travel.—Not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of the American Music Tourism Act of 2025, and
every 2 years thereafter, the Assistant Secretary shall
submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and
Commerce of the House of Representatives a report of
activities, findings, achievements, and vulnerabilities
relating to the goals described in subsections (a) through
(d).”.
(d) Definition.—Section 600 of title VI of division BB of
the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (15 U.S.C. 9801) is
amended—
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as
subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, and adjusting the
margins accordingly;
(2) by striking “In this title, the term `COVID-19 public
health emergency'—” and inserting the following:
“In this title:
“(1) COVID-19 public health emergency.—The term `COVID-19
public health emergency'—”; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
“(2) Music tourism.—The term `music tourism' means—
“(A) the act of traveling to a State or locality to visit
historic or modern day music-related attractions, including
museums, studios, venues of all sizes, and other sites
related to music; or
“(B) the act of traveling to a State or locality to attend
a music festival, a concert, or other live musical
performance or music-related special event.”.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) and the gentlewoman from Texas (Mrs. Fletcher) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.
General Leave
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on S. 195.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Kentucky?
There was no objection.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise today to speak in support of S. 195, the America Music Tourism Act of 2025. Music is one of the truest expressions of who we are as a country. It is part of the fabric of American life in every region and in every community.
already does for other forms of tourism: to build a plan to promote it and keep Congress informed. It asks for no new taxpayer dollars. It creates no new bureaucracy. It just puts music tourism on the same level of other national attractions.
Mrs. FLETCHER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise to speak in support of S. 195, the American Music Tourism Act of 2025.
Americans are fortunate to have a rich musical heritage. Across the country, there are countless venues where gifted musicians perform, attracting millions of people from around the country and around the world.
where a famous musician got their start. No matter how far they have traveled, these tourists are spending money and enhancing our local economies by supporting jobs and artists.
I am pleased to support the American Music Tourism Act of 2025. This bill charges the National Travel and Tourism office with promoting domestic and international travel and tourism to U.S. music venues. Promoting tourism to music venues will directly benefit local economies. When tourists travel for music events, they drive an increase in hospitality spending in local communities. This bill will enhance the economic benefits venues bring to our local economies by creating jobs, supporting small businesses, and championing our music industry.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Harshbarger), who has worked tirelessly on this legislation. It is appropriate today she represents the community from which Ms. Dolly Parton was born.
Mrs. HARSHBARGER. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the American Music Tourism Act of 2025. It is bipartisan legislation that I have had the privilege of leading in the House alongside my colleague from California, Congresswoman Barragan, and our partner in the Senate, Senator Blackburn.
history colored by many country music icons. From Dollywood in Pigeon Forge to the birthplace of country music in Bristol, Tennessee, east Tennessee does play a vital role in our Nation's music tourism industry. That story is true in communities across the country, from Nashville to Los Angeles and everywhere in between.
{time} 1850
Travel and Tourism to implement a plan to grow music tourism for domestic and international visitors and to report back to Congress on that progress.
bipartisan support in April. The Senate now has done the same, and this is about as close to the finish line as legislation gets. I am proud of the work that our two Chambers have done together to get us there.
Madam Speaker, let's finish the job. Let's send this bill to the President's desk and give America's music communities the recognition and support they have earned.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mrs. FLETCHER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
bill. I appreciate the representation. I think there is probably nothing that we have seen more in the last few weeks that has united Americans in every corner of the country, on both sides of the aisle and everywhere in between, than our appreciation and love for Dolly Parton.
Madam Speaker, I am proud to support this bill. I look forward to voting in favor of it, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
beloved mountains of Kentucky, such as Chris Stapleton, Loretta Lynn, Dwight Yoakam, and Keith Whitley. I could go on and on.
Madam Speaker, people from our Appalachia area call my area flatland. Flatlanders have bluegrass music. Bluegrass music came from my district. Bill Monroe is from Jerusalem Ridge in Ohio County, and the International Bluegrass Museum and Hall of Fame is in Owensboro, Kentucky. Hopefully, once we get this plan from the Department of Commerce, we will have opportunities for these venues and the Tennessee mountains, Kentucky flatlands, all over, to show what they can do in music.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, S. 195.
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.