International Tourism Facilitation Act

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Oct 4, 2011

International Tourism Facilitation Act - Amends the Department of State and Related Agency Appropriations Act, 2005 to authorize the Secretary of State to charge consular services fees which may be deposited in the appropriate Department of State account to the extent that the amount of such fees collected during a fiscal year is greater than the amount of consular service fees deposited in the Treasury during FY2011.

Amends the Department of State Authorities Act of 2006 to repeal the Secretary's authority to amend consular service surcharges in support of enhanced border security that are in addition to passport and immigrant visa fees in effect on January 1, 2004.

Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize the Secretary to waive nonimmigrant visa interviews for up to three additional years (four years total) for individuals who previously held a U.S. visa.

Directs the Secretary to report to Congress regarding nonimmigrant visa projections and plans to service such projections through 2020 in the high-growth markets of Brazil, China, and India.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN] · D–MN

Committees

Judiciary Committee

6 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

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Oct 4, 2011
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Oct 4, 2011
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in Senate · Oct 4, 2011 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Objective

Analyze S.1653 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Discuss S.1653, 112th Congress: International Tourism Facilitation Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-bill/1653

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2011-10-04.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/s1653/BILLS-112s1653is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-08-10T11:58:05Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.1653 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.1653 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

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Discuss S.1653, 112th Congress: International Tourism Facilitation Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-bill/1653

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2011-10-04.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/s1653/BILLS-112s1653is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-08-10T11:58:05Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.1653 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.1653 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

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Discuss S.1653, 112th Congress: International Tourism Facilitation Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-bill/1653

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2011-10-04.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/s1653/BILLS-112s1653is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-08-10T11:58:05Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.1653 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.1653 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.1653, 112th Congress: International Tourism Facilitation Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-bill/1653

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2011-10-04.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/s1653/BILLS-112s1653is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-08-10T11:58:05Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.1653 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.