PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 514.
Congressional Research Service
Version 01 · Reported to Senate with amendment(s) · Nov 27, 2007
Travel Promotion Act of 2007 - (Sec. 2) Establishes as a nonprofit corporation the Corporation for Travel Promotion to develop and execute a plan to: (1) provide information to foreign tourists and others interested in traveling to the United States; (2) counter and correct misperceptions regarding U.S. travel policy; (3) maximize the economic and diplomatic benefits of travel to the United States; (4) ensure that international travel to the United States benefits all states and the District of Columbia; and (5) give travel promotion priority to countries and populations most likely to travel to the United States. Requires fiscal accountability and annual audits of the Corporation, as well as an annual report from the Corporation to the Secretary of Commerce and Congress. Establishes in the Treasury the Travel Promotion Fund. Provides matching funds requirements.
(Sec. 5) Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) to develop and implement a fully automated electronic travel authorization system to collect basic biographical information necessary to determine, in advance of travel, the eligibility of an alien to travel to the United States under the visa waiver program. Authorizes the Secretary to charge a fee for the system's use. Requires the Secretary to: (1) prescribe regulations that provide a period, not to exceed three years, during which a determination of eligibility to travel under visa waiver program will be valid; and (2) report to Congress on program implementation. Authorizes appropriations.
(Sec. 6) Authorizes the Corporation to impose an annual assessment on U.S. members of the international travel and tourism industry represented on the Board of Directors of the Corporation, provided such assessment is approved by a majority of industry members in a referendum.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
(Sec. 7) Establishes in the Department of Commerce the Office of Travel Promotion, headed by the Under Secretary of Commerce for Travel Promotion, to conduct various activities related to the promotion of international travel to the United States. Requires periodic reports from the Under Secretary to the congressional commerce committees.
(Sec. 8) Amends the International Travel Act of 1961 to require the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries to expand its research and development activities to promote international travel to the United States. Authorizes appropriations.
(Sec. 9) Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish a model ports-of-entry program to provide a more efficient and welcoming international arrival process with respect to business and tourist travel to the United States, while also improving security; and (2) implement the program initially at the 20 U.S. international airports that have the highest number of foreign visitors arriving annually, as determined pursuant to data collected by the United States Customs and Border Protection. Requires the Secretary to employ no fewer than an additional 200 Customs and Border Protection officers to address staff shortages at such airports.
People & committees
Sen. Dorgan, Byron L. [D-ND] · D–ND
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 514.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Inouye under authority of the order of the Senate of 11/16/2007 with amendments. With written report No. 110-233.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Inouye under authority of the order of the Senate of 11/16/2007 with amendments. With written report No. 110-233.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7901-7903)
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7900-7901)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
AI Conversation Starters
Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.
Analyze S.1661 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.
Examine S.1661 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.
Examine S.1661 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.
Examine S.1661 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.