John Ensign: “I rise today because our economy is struggling. Unemployment remains high, and the recession's hold on cities across…”

“I rise today because our economy is struggling. Unemployment remains high, and the recession's hold on cities across America is as strong as ever. My home State of Nevada has been one of the hardest hit, and our tourism-dependent economy is barely hanging on. Unfortunately, this is true for tourism-dependent cities across our country. During these difficult economic times, it simply isn't enough to try to stimulate domestic spending by passing one massive spending bill after another. We need to incentivize tourists from across the world to visit the truly unique destinations across America. From one coast of this country to the other, there are endless opportunities to tour historic sights, take advantage of recreational opportunities, observe great architecture, visit theme parks, dine in some of the finest restaurants in the world, view natural and manmade miracles, and soak up everything that is so uniquely found in America. We all know we live in the best country in the world. Now is the time for people across the world to enjoy all we have to offer while repairing our economy at the same time. My colleague from North Dakota, Senator Dorgan, understands the importance of reasserting our tourism industry on the world stage. Together, he and I have sponsored the Travel Promotion Act, which is before us today.”