The Trump administration’s immigration and border security policies have dampened global interest in travel to the U.S., and Brand USA may have to try to undo the damage with a lot less money at its disposal.
The Republican budget reconciliation bill, dubbed the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act,’ proposes to cut the budget of the primary agency charged with promoting tourism to the U.S. by 80 percent, from $100 million to $20 million.
The bill was narrowly approved in the House of Representatives on a party-line vote and is currently under consideration in the Senate, where the Senate Commerce Committee, led by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), has retained the funding cut for Brand USA in its reconciliation bill.
The proposed reduction—packaged as part of a plan to reduce “wasteful spending”—comes as travel to the U.S. is projected to decline 5 percent or more this year due to concerns ranging from perceived hostility towards Canada and Mexico to worries about heavy-handed enforcement at airports and border crossings.
Brand USA and other tourism groups are calling on the Senate to rescind the proposed cuts. The Travel Action Network, whose members include Brand USA, the U.S. Travel Association, the U.S. Tour Operators Association and hundreds of other travel and tourism organizations, is circulating a letter urging members of the Senate to reject the cuts.
“Brand USA does not use an ounce of taxpayer money,” the letter states, noting that the agency is funded primarily by private donations and fees collected from international travelers via the Visa Waiver Program.
Every dollar invested in Brand USA has resulted in a return of $24 to the American economy, according to the letter, which urges Senators to “remove proposed language that slashes Brand USA funding from the reconciliation bill and vote against any legislation that proposes to cut Brand USA funding.”
The bill has yet to be voted on by the full Senate, where it faces more opposition than it did in the House. Under Congress’ rules governing budget bills, the measure could pass the Senate with a simple majority vote. GOP leaders in Congress are hoping to approve the measure by July 4.
