A bill to amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to make grants for travel promotion, and for other purposes.

To amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to make grants for travel promotion, and for other purposes. 1. Grants for economic adjustment (a) In general Section 209 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 ( 42 U.S.C. 3149 (1) in subsection (a), by inserting travel promotion (including funding for tourism marketing, marketing research, purchasing advertisements, and attracting business meetings or convention travel), technical assistance, training, (2) in subsection (b)(2), by inserting and travel promotion planning projects (b) Cost sharing Section 204(c) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 ( 42 U.S.C. 3144(c) (4) Special rule for travel promotion In the case of a grant for travel promotion under section 209(a), the Secretary may increase the Federal share above the percentage specified in subsection (a) up to 100 percent of the cost of the project. . (c) Grant amount Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a grant made with amounts made available under subsection (e) may be in an amount that is not more than 75 percent of the difference in revenue of the eligible entity from 2019 to 2020. (d) Waiver Section 209(b)(2) and section 302 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 ( 42 U.S.C. 3149(b)(2) (e) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated $2,250,000,000 to make grants under section 209(a) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 ( 42 U.S.C. 3149(a) (1) to pay costs associated with tourism marketing and promotion activities, including marketing research, necessary to assist with declines in visitation and the economic recovery from lost revenue as a result of COVID–19, including to purchase media advertisements on print, broadcast, or digital media for the purpose of marketing, public awareness, or information campaigns relating to local tourism; (2) to pay costs associated with providing information to visitors about the health and safety protections, guidance, or requirements of Federal, State, or local governments and businesses to reduce the spread of COVID–19; (3) to pay the increased costs of cleaning and sanitation, including physical modifications to a convention center, large event space, or community attraction associated with precautions to provide for safe worker, traveler, or event environments; or (4) to pay the costs of salaries and expenses associated with the operations of the eligible entity, other than salaries and expenses of the executives of the eligible entity.

Summary: This bill expands the purposes for which the Department of Commerce is authorized to make economic adjustment grants to include travel promotion, and it authorizes Commerce to cover up to 100% of the cost of a travel promotion project. Further, the bill authorizes the appropriation of $2.25 billion to make these grants to cover costs associated with promoting safe and healthy travel practices and economic recovery in communities impacted by a decline in travel and tourism as a result of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).