I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7920 

To provide grants and direct funding for promotion of tourism and healthy 

and safe travel practices in areas recovering from the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19), and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 31, 2020 

Ms. TITUS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees 

on Financial Services, and Oversight and Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of 

such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To provide grants and direct funding for promotion of tourism and healthy and safe travel practices in areas recovering from the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19), 

and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Healthy and Safe 

5 Travel Promotion Act of 2020’’. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 7920 IH

1 SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR PROMOTING TOURISM AND HEALTHY 

2 TRAVEL. 

3 Title II of the Public Works and Economic Develop4 ment Act of 1965 is amended by adding at the end the 

5 following: 

6 ‘‘SEC. 219. TOURISM AND HEALTHY TRAVEL PROMOTION. 

7 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide 

8 grants to eligible entities to assist with economic recovery 

9 in communities affected by declines in travel and tourism 

10 as a result of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19). 

11 ‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—An entity eligible to re12 ceive grants under this section shall be an entity that is 

13 responsible for marketing, selling, or promoting visitation 

14 to a community, region, or State, including— 

15 ‘‘(1) a State tourism office; 

16 ‘‘(2) a political subdivision or instrumentality of 

17 a State or local government; 

18 ‘‘(3) a Tribal government; and 

19 ‘‘(4) a nonprofit organization. 

20 ‘‘(c) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 30 days after 

21 the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall 

22 establish a process under which the Secretary may receive 

23 applications and make grants to eligible entities in accord24 ance with this section. 

25 ‘‘(d) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a grant 

26 under this section, an eligible entity shall submit to the 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 7920 IH

1 Secretary an application in such form, in such manner, 

2 and containing such information as the Secretary may re3 quire. 

4 ‘‘(e) SELECTION.—The Secretary shall select eligible 

5 entities to receive grants under this section based on fac6 tors to be determined by the Secretary, using the best 

7 available data, including the decline in visitation and asso8 ciated economic losses in a region as a result of COVID– 

9 19, and the amount of real or forecast revenue lost by 

10 an eligible entity as a result of COVID–19. 

11 ‘‘(f) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity shall use 

12 grant funds provided under this section to— 

13 ‘‘(1) pay costs associated with tourism mar14 keting and promotion activities necessary to assist 

15 with declines in visitation as a result of COVID–19; 

16 ‘‘(2) pay costs associated with providing infor17 mation to visitors about the health and safety pro18 tections, guidance or requirements of Federal, State 

19 or local governments and businesses to reduce the 

20 spread of COVID–19; 

21 ‘‘(3) pay the increased costs of sanitation or 

22 cleaning to provide for a safer environment at a con23 vention center, large event space, or community at24 traction; or 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 7920 IH

1 ‘‘(4) pay the costs of salaries and expenses as2 sociated with the operations of the eligible entity 

3 with respect to activities described in subparagraphs 

4 (A), (B), and (C). 

5 ‘‘(g) WAIVER.— 

6 ‘‘(1) LONG-TERM PLANNING.—Sections 

7 209(b)(2) and 204 shall not apply for purposes of 

8 providing grants under this section. 

9 ‘‘(2) WAIVER AUTHORITY.—The Secretary may 

10 waive, or specify alternative requirements for, any 

11 provision of any statute or regulation that the Sec12 retary administers in connection with a grant under 

13 this section if the Secretary determines that any 

14 such waivers or alternative requirements are nec15 essary to expedite or facilitate the use of the 

16 amounts made available under this section. 

17 ‘‘(h) FEDERAL SHARE.—Notwithstanding section 

18 204, the Federal share of the cost of an activity carried 

19 out with a grant under this section shall be 100 percent. 

20 ‘‘(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

21 authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for fiscal 

22 year 2021 to carry out this section $5,000,000,000, to re23 main available until expended.’’. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 7920 IH

1 SEC. 3. DIRECT FUNDING PROMOTING TOURISM AND 

2 HEALTHY TRAVEL. 

3 Section 601 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 

4 801) is amended— 

5 (1) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘A State, 

6 Tribal government, and unit of local government’’ 

7 and inserting ‘‘Subject to subsection (h), a State, 

8 Tribal government, and unit of local government’’; 

9 and 

10 (2) by adding at the end the following: 

11 ‘‘(h) ELIGIBILITY.—A State, Tribal government, and 

12 unit of local government may use funds provided under 

13 a payment made under this section to cover expenditures 

14 of the recipient that— 

15 ‘‘(1) are made to assist with the economic re16 covery of an area impacted by a decline in travel and 

17 tourism as a result of COVID–19; 

18 ‘‘(2) are associated with marketing or pro19 moting travel or tourism to the recipient’s area, in20 cluding costs associated with— 

21 ‘‘(A) educating visitors about local tourism 

22 opportunities and health and safety guidelines; 

23 ‘‘(B) marketing tourism opportunities, con24 vention facilities, and group meeting space that 

25 are made available in accordance with applicaVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:18 Aug 19, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7920.IH H7920

kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 7920 IH

1 ble State, local, or Tribal government require2 ments; or 

3 ‘‘(C) provide information to visitors or po4 tential visitors regarding the health and safety 

5 practices of regional businesses or attractions to 

6 protect public health; and 

7 ‘‘(3) were incurred during the period that be8 gins on the date of enactment of the Healthy and 

9 Safe Travel Promotion Act of 2020 and ends on De10 cember 31, 2021.’’. 

11 SEC. 4. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS 

12 USE OF FUNDS. 

13 Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for pur14 poses of funds provided under the heading ‘‘Economic De15 velopment Administration—Economic Development As16 sistance Programs’’ under title II of division B of the 

17 CARES Act (Public Law 116–136), tourism and mar18 keting promotion activities (including educating visitors 

19 about local tourism opportunities and health and safety 

20 guidelines, marketing tourism opportunities, convention 

21 facilities, and group meeting space that are made available 

22 in accordance with applicable State or local government 

23 requirements, and providing information to visitors or po24 tential visitors regarding the health and safety practices 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
7 

•HR 7920 IH

1 of regional businesses or attractions to protect public 

2 health) shall be considered an eligible use of such funds. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS