Brand USA Restoration Act

Bill Number

H.R. 6202

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Commerce

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-11-20: Referred to the House Committee on Appropriations.

Last Updated

2026-03-30T18:26:09Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Brand USA Restoration Act (H.R. 6202) aims to restore funding to the Travel Promotion Fund, which supports international tourism promotion efforts in the United States. It specifically offsets financial reductions to the Fund caused by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, ensuring continued resources for marketing U.S. travel destinations abroad.

Key Provisions

• Appropriation of Funds: Allocates $80,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 from general Treasury funds (money not already designated for other uses) to be deposited into the Travel Promotion Fund.
• Fund Reference: The Travel Promotion Fund was established under the Travel Promotion Act of 2009 (a law that created a public-private partnership to promote U.S. tourism).
• Short Title: The bill is officially named the "Brand USA Restoration Act," referencing the Brand USA organization that manages the Fund to boost international visitors.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• This bill directly counters funding cuts imposed by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (a prior piece of legislation that reduced the Fund's resources).
• It introduces a one-time appropriation to replenish the Fund, without altering the underlying structure of the Travel Promotion Act of 2009, but effectively reinstates financial support for tourism promotion activities.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: Provides immediate fiscal relief to the Corporation for Travel Promotion (Brand USA), a nonprofit entity that receives Fund support, enabling it to maintain marketing campaigns without service disruptions.
• On Citizens and Economy: Could enhance U.S. tourism revenue by sustaining efforts to attract foreign visitors, potentially benefiting jobs in hospitality, travel, and related sectors.
• On International Relations: Supports soft diplomacy through tourism promotion, fostering positive global perceptions of the U.S. without direct foreign aid implications.

Main Stakeholders

• Tourism Industry: Hotels, airlines, tour operators, and destination marketing organizations that rely on Brand USA's promotional activities.
• Government Entities: The U.S. Department of Commerce (which oversees related tourism policies) and Congress's Appropriations Committee, which handles funding decisions.
• International Travelers and Partners: Foreign visitors and tourism boards abroad that collaborate on joint marketing.
• U.S. Taxpayers: As the funding comes from general Treasury resources, indirectly affecting federal budgeting.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: The appropriation uses Congress's constitutional power (Article I, Section 9) to control federal spending, ensuring compliance with existing statutes like the Travel Promotion Act without requiring new regulatory changes.
• Fiscal: Adds to discretionary spending for fiscal year 2026, potentially influencing budget debates but limited in scope as a targeted offset rather than broad entitlement.
• Political: Represents a legislative response to prior cuts, highlighting partisan or policy disagreements on tourism funding; its referral to the Appropriations Committee suggests it may face negotiations on overall federal priorities.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]

Recent Actions

• 2025-11-20: Referred to the House Committee on Appropriations.
• 2025-11-20: Introduced in House
• 2025-11-20: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Brand USA Restoration Act — issued 2025-11-20 — PDF (2 pages)