Political Quotes

“I wanted to make sure I came down to the floor of the House to be able to comment to this body about how important travel and tourism is, because every year more than 21 million visitors travel from every part of the country and the far corners of the world to Washington, D.C. The District is the Nation's capital. It is a cultural hub with many fine museums and theaters, and it is home to many fine colleges and universities. These visitors bring economic prosperity to the metropolitan Washington area, creating jobs, income and tax revenues for the local area. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the travel and tourism industry which has long been an important part of the American economy. The industry is the Nation's second largest employer, providing more than 16 million jobs. It is the third largest retail sales industry. In 1998, it generated more than $71 billion in tax revenues for Federal, State and local governments. The travel and tourism industry is diverse and it touches every sector of our society, from business to the arts to education.”