Sponsors
The bill spends $80 million to boost tourism and support travel-sector businesses and local governments, at the trade-off of imposing a fiscal cost on taxpayers and diverting federal resources from other priorities.
Small businesses and workers in the travel and hospitality sector (e.g., hotels, restaurants, tour operators, transportation workers) will likely see increased visitor demand and revenue due to an $80 million investment to promote U.S. travel.
Tourism-dependent local governments and communities are likely to benefit from higher visitor spending that can support local services and jobs.
Taxpayers ultimately bear the $80 million cost, which increases federal outlays that could otherwise lower deficits or fund other priorities.
The funding redirects federal resources toward promotional activities rather than direct infrastructure, relief, or other programmatic investments, creating an opportunity cost in federal budgeting priorities.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Provides a one-time $80 million appropriation from the Treasury to the Travel Promotion Fund for fiscal year 2026.
Introduced November 20, 2025 by S. Raja Krishnamoorthi · Last progress November 20, 2025
Appropriates $80,000,000 from the U.S. Treasury for fiscal year 2026 to be deposited into the Travel Promotion Fund (the fund that supports Brand USA travel promotion activities). The appropriation comes from general Treasury resources and is dedicated specifically to that Fund for FY2026.