PUBLIC LAW 115–79—NOV. 2, 2017 

ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION 

BUSINESS TRAVEL CARDS ACT OF 2017 

131 STAT. 1258 PUBLIC LAW 115–79—NOV. 2, 2017 

Public Law 115–79 

115th Congress 

An Act 

To permanently authorize the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel 

Card Program. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 

Business Travel Cards Act of 2017’’. 

SEC. 2. ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION BUSINESS TRAVEL 

CARDS. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle B of title IV of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 211 et seq.) is amended by inserting 

after section 417 the following: 

‘‘SEC. 418. ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION BUSINESS TRAVEL 

CARDS. 

‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 

Border Protection is authorized to issue an Asia-Pacific Economic 

Cooperation Business Travel Card (referred to in this section as 

an ‘ABT Card’) to any individual described in subsection (b). 

‘‘(b) CARD ISSUANCE.—An individual described in this subsection 

is an individual who— 

‘‘(1) is a citizen of the United States; 

‘‘(2) has been approved and is in good standing in an 

existing international trusted traveler program of the Department; and 

‘‘(3) is— 

‘‘(A) engaged in business in the Asia-Pacific region, 

as determined by the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 

Border Protection; or 

‘‘(B) a United States Government official actively 

engaged in Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation business, as 

determined by the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 

Border Protection. 

‘‘(c) INTEGRATION WITH EXISTING TRAVEL PROGRAMS.—The 

Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall 

integrate application procedures for, and issuance, renewal, and 

revocation of, ABT Cards with existing international trusted traveler programs of the Department. 

‘‘(d) COOPERATION WITH PRIVATE ENTITIES AND NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS.—In carrying out this section, the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection may consult with 

Procedures. 

6 USC 218. 

Asia-Pacific 

Economic 

Cooperation 

Business 

Travel Cards 

Act of 2017. 

6 USC 101 note. 

Nov. 2, 2017 

[S. 504] 

PUBLIC LAW 115–79—NOV. 2, 2017 131 STAT. 1259 

appropriate private sector entities and nongovernmental organizations, including academic institutions. 

‘‘(e) FEE.— 

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 

Border Protection shall— 

‘‘(A) prescribe and collect a fee for the issuance and 

renewal of ABT Cards; and 

‘‘(B) adjust such fee to the extent the Commissioner 

determines necessary to comply with paragraph (2). 

‘‘(2) LIMITATION.—The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 

Border Protection shall ensure that the total amount of the 

fees collected under paragraph (1) during any fiscal year is 

sufficient to offset the direct and indirect costs associated with 

carrying out this section during such fiscal year, including 

the costs associated with operating and maintaining the ABT 

Card issuance and renewal processes. 

‘‘(3) ACCOUNT FOR COLLECTIONS.—There is established in 

the Treasury of the United States an ‘Asia-Pacific Economic 

Cooperation Business Travel Card Account’ into which the fees 

collected under paragraph (1) shall be deposited as offsetting 

receipts. 

‘‘(4) USE OF FUNDS.—Amounts deposited into the Asia 

Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card Account 

established under paragraph (3) shall— 

‘‘(A) be credited to the appropriate account of the U.S. 

Customs and Border Protection for expenses incurred in 

carrying out this section; and 

‘‘(B) remain available until expended. 

‘‘(f) NOTIFICATION.—The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 

Border Protection shall notify the Committee on Homeland Security 

of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland 

Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate not later than 

60 days after the expenditures of funds to operate and provide 

ABT Card services beyond the amounts collected under subsection 

(e)(1). 

‘‘(g) TRUSTED TRAVELER PROGRAM DEFINED.—In this section, 

the term ‘trusted traveler program’ means a voluntary program 

of the Department that allows U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

to expedite clearance of pre-approved, low-risk travelers arriving 

in the United States.’’. 

(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents in section 

1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by inserting 

after the item relating to section 417 the following new item: 

‘‘Sec. 418. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards.’’. 

SEC. 3. ACCOUNT. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding the repeal of the Asia-Pacific 

Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards Act of 2011 (Public 

Law 112–54; 8 U.S.C. 1185 note) pursuant to section 4(b)(1), 

amounts deposited into the APEC Business Travel Card Account 

established pursuant to such Act as of the date of the enactment 

of this Act are hereby transferred to the Asia-Pacific Economic 

Cooperation Business Travel Card Account established pursuant 

to section 418(e) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (as added 

by section 2(a) of this Act), and shall be available without regard 

to whether such amounts are expended in connection with expenses 

6 USC 218 note. 

Deadline. 

131 STAT. 1260 PUBLIC LAW 115–79—NOV. 2, 2017 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 504 (H.R. 2805): 

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 115–274 (Comm. on Homeland Security) accompanying 

H.R. 2805. 

SENATE REPORTS: No. 115–140 (Comm. on Homeland Security and Governmental 

Affairs). 

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 163 (2017): 

Sept. 26, considered and passed Senate. 

Oct. 23, considered and passed House. 

Æ 

incurred with respect to an ABT Card issued at any time before 

or after such date of enactment. 

(b) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts deposited in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card Account established pursuant to section 418(e) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, in 

addition to the purposes for which such amounts are available 

pursuant to such subsection, shall also be available for expenditure 

in connection with expenses incurred with respect to ABT Cards 

issued at any time before the date of the enactment of such section. 

(c) TERMINATION.—After the completion of the transfer 

described in subsection (a), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 

Business Travel Card Account established pursuant to the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards Act of 2011 

shall be closed. 

SEC. 4. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS AND REPEAL. 

(a) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 411(c) of section 411 

of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 211(c)) is amended— 

(1) in paragraph (17), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

(2) by redesignating paragraph (18) as paragraph (19); 

and 

(3) by inserting after paragraph (17) the following: 

‘‘(18) carry out section 418, relating to the issuance of 

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards; and’’. 

(b) REPEAL.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 

Business Travel Cards Act of 2011 (Public Law 112–54; 8 

U.S.C. 1185 note) is repealed. 

(2) SAVING CLAUSE.—Notwithstanding the repeal under 

paragraph (1), an ABT Card issued pursuant to the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards Act of 

2011 before the date of the enactment of this Act that, as 

of such date, is still valid, shall remain valid on and after 

such date until such time as such Card would otherwise expire. 

Approved November 2, 2017. 

8 USC 1185 note.