USMCA Travel and Tourism Resiliency Act
- Bill Number
- S. 3787
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-02-05: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- Last Updated
- 2026-02-21T04:53:25Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The USMCA Travel and Tourism Resiliency Act (S. 3787) aims to strengthen the travel and tourism sector across North America by directing the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to push for a dedicated working group during the next joint review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). This is intended to boost economic growth, job creation, and competitiveness in the tourism industry, recognizing its vital role in the U.S. economy and trade with Canada and Mexico.
Key Provisions
- Sense of Congress: Expresses congressional support for the tourism industry's economic importance, citing 2024 data: it contributes about $1.3 trillion to the U.S. economy, supports 15 million jobs, represents 19% of U.S. services exports ($214 billion total), and generates a $35 billion trade surplus. It highlights Canada and Mexico as key sources of visitors (e.g., 20.4 million from Canada, supporting 140,000 U.S. jobs) and emphasizes USMCA's role in fostering open travel and regional growth.
- Negotiating Objective for Working Group:
- USTR must advocate for establishing a Travel and Tourism Trade Working Group in the first USMCA joint review after enactment (subject to legal requirements in the USMCA Implementation Act).
- Structure: Co-chaired by representatives from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico; U.S. participants include officials from the USTR, Departments of Commerce, State, Homeland Security, Interior, Labor, and Transportation, plus others as deemed appropriate by the President.
- Input and Advice: The group will consult industry representatives, including the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, on issues affecting North American travel.
- Duties: Focus on enhancing tourism competitiveness, increasing exports of travel services, promoting job growth; serve as a forum for sharing information, collaborating on policies (e.g., intercontinental travel), and developing initiatives.
- Operations: Meet at least annually; U.S. representatives must brief and consult relevant congressional committees (Senate Finance and Commerce, Science, and Transportation; House Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- This bill does not amend existing statutes directly but introduces a new mandate for USTR to prioritize tourism in USMCA reviews, building on the USMCA Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 4501 et seq.). It creates a structured mechanism for ongoing trilateral cooperation on tourism, which was not previously formalized under USMCA.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases coordination among U.S. departments (e.g., Commerce, State, Homeland Security) in international trade talks, potentially requiring more resources for meetings, consultations, and briefings to Congress.
- Citizens: Could lead to easier cross-border travel, more tourism-related jobs (especially in border states), and economic benefits from higher visitor spending; supports efficient travel to Canada and Mexico for U.S. residents.
- International Relations: Strengthens economic ties with Canada and Mexico under USMCA by focusing on shared tourism goals, potentially improving collaboration on travel policies and reducing barriers to visitation, which could enhance North American economic integration.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- U.S. Government: USTR, various federal departments, and congressional committees overseeing trade and commerce.
- Travel and Tourism Industry: Businesses, workers (15 million U.S. jobs), and advisory groups like the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, who gain a formal voice in policy.
- Citizens and Economy: U.S. consumers, tourists, and communities reliant on tourism revenue, particularly in regions with high Canadian/Mexican visitation.
- International Partners: Governments and tourism sectors in Canada and Mexico, as co-chairs and collaborators in the working group.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Aligns with USMCA's framework for periodic reviews (under 19 U.S.C. 4611), ensuring compliance without overriding treaty obligations; promotes executive-branch negotiation while mandating congressional oversight for transparency.
- Constitutional: Supports Congress's commerce clause authority (Article I, Section 8) by directing trade policy without infringing on executive foreign affairs powers.
- Political: Signals bipartisan emphasis (introduced by Sens. Cortez Masto and Moran) on economic recovery post-pandemic, prioritizing a key export sector amid trade tensions; could influence future USMCA updates by embedding tourism as a strategic priority, potentially aiding job-focused initiatives in an election-year context.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2026-02-05: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 2026-02-05: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- USMCA Travel and Tourism Resiliency Act — issued 2026-02-05 — PDF (7 pages)