Sponsors (12)
The bill delivers a quick $160 million boost to tourism promotion that can help small businesses and local economies now, at the cost of diverting fee balances and loosening statutory spending safeguards which reduces fiscal flexibility and oversight.
Small businesses in travel and hospitality and state and local tourism economies receive a $160 million infusion for Brand USA marketing and promotion, which can increase visitor spending and support tourism-related jobs.
The Treasury must transfer the funds within 30 days of enactment, delivering a near-term infusion of cash that speeds relief and promotional activity for tourism businesses and destinations.
All taxpayers effectively lose $160 million in unobligated fee balances that might otherwise fund other priorities or help reduce deficits.
Waiving the Travel Promotion Act's maximum-transfer limitation reduces statutory safeguards on Fund spending, increasing the risk of larger or less-controlled transfers without the usual legislative constraints.
Redirecting fees credited before Oct. 1, 2025 could limit future flexibility for travel-related programs and cause timing mismatches for other authorized spending, complicating budgeting for federal and state partners.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Directs Treasury to transfer $160 million from specified unobligated visa-fee balances to the Corporation for Travel Promotion within 30 days, subject to existing matching and carryforward rules.
Directs the Treasury Secretary to transfer $160 million from specified unobligated visa‑fee balances credited to the Travel Promotion Fund (amounts credited before October 1, 2025) to the Corporation for Travel Promotion (Brand USA) within 30 days of enactment. Also designates a short title and acronym for the Act. The transferred funds are exempt from one statutory transfer limit but remain subject to the law’s existing matching and carryforward requirements.
Introduced November 19, 2025 by Gus Bilirakis · Last progress November 19, 2025