Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his good work on this bill, as well as his leadership on this very important subcommittee, and I appreciate it very much. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4450, the Travel Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act, which would reauthorize Brand USA for a limited time, adds numerous accountability measures and strengthens the transparency of the public-private partnership that promotes increased tourism to the United States. Passage of H.R. 4450 will be good for the economy. It is a jobs bill, Mr. Speaker. A recent analysis performed by the independent firm Oxford Economics estimated that, in fiscal year 2013, Brand USA generated 1.1 million additional international visitors who spent an estimated $3.4 billion, generating economic revenue and supporting job creation in communities across America. Brand USA does not impose a cost upon the Federal Government. It has helped to reduce the deficit during the last 2 fiscal years and is expected to continue to do so. In fact, the respected and nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that H.R. 4450 will reduce the deficit by $231 million over 10 years. It is a win-win, Mr. Speaker. It is important to note that Federal taxpayer dollars are not used to fund Brand USA. Brand USA is supported by international visitors and voluntary private sector contributors.…”