I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2935 
To establish a nonprofit corporation to communicate United States entry 
policies and otherwise promote tourist, business, and scholarly travel 
to the United States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 18, 2009 
Mr. DELAHUNT (for himself, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. FARR, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. BAR-
TON of Texas, Mr. ROSS, Mr. SMITH of Texas, Mrs. CAPPS, Ms. BERK-
LEY, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Mr. BONNER, Mr. RADANOVICH, Ms. 
SCHAKOWSKY, Mrs. BONO MACK, Mr. COBLE, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. VAN 
HOLLEN, Mr. LUETKEMEYER, Mr. ROONEY, and Ms. TITUS) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary and 
Homeland Security, 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 establish a nonprofit corporation to communicate United 
States entry policies and otherwise promote tourist, busi-
ness, and scholarly travel to the United States. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Travel Promotion Act of 2009’’. 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
06:13 Jun 19, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2935.IH
H2935
smartinez on PROD1PC64 with BILLS
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. The Corporation for Travel Promotion. 
Sec. 3. Accountability measures. 
Sec. 4. Matching public and private funding. 
Sec. 5. Travel Promotion Fund fees. 
Sec. 6. Investment of Funds. 
Sec. 7. Prohibition on use of funds. 
Sec. 8. Assessment authority. 
Sec. 9. Amendments to the International Travel Act of 1961. 
Sec. 10. Definitions. 
Sec. 11. GAO study. 
SEC. 2. THE CORPORATION FOR TRAVEL PROMOTION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Corporation for Travel 
Promotion is established as a nonprofit corporation. The 
Corporation shall not be an agency or establishment of 
the United States Government. The Corporation shall be 
subject to the provisions of the District of Columbia Non-
profit Corporation Act (sec. 29–301.01 et seq., D.C. Offi-
cial Code), to the extent that such provisions are con-
sistent with this section, and shall have the powers con-
ferred upon a nonprofit corporation by that Act to carry 
out its purposes and activities. 
(b) BOARD OF DIRECTORS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Corporation shall have 
a board of directors of 11 members, appointed by 
the Secretary of Commerce, but not before consulta-
tion with the Secretaries of Homeland Security, 
State, and Education, as appropriate, each of whom 
is a United States citizen, and of whom— 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
19:45 Jun 21, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2935.IH
H2935
smartinez on PROD1PC64 with BILLS
(A) one shall have appropriate expertise 
and experience in the hotel accommodations 
sector; 
(B) one shall have appropriate expertise 
and experience in the travel distribution sector; 
(C) one shall have appropriate expertise 
and experience in the restaurant sector; 
(D) one shall have appropriate expertise 
and experience in the retail sector, or small 
business sector; 
(E) one shall have appropriate expertise 
and experience in the attractions sector; 
(F) one shall have appropriate expertise 
and experience in the passenger air sector; 
(G) one shall have appropriate expertise 
and experience in the car rental sector; 
(H) one shall have appropriate expertise 
and experience as an official of a city conven-
tion and visitor’s bureau; 
(I) one shall have appropriate expertise 
and experience as an official of a State Tourism 
Office; 
(J) one shall have appropriate expertise 
and experience in immigration law and policy, 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
06:13 Jun 19, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2935.IH
H2935
smartinez on PROD1PC64 with BILLS
including visa requirements and United States 
entry procedures; and 
(K) one shall have appropriate expertise 
and experience in the cruise line sector. 
(2) INCORPORATION.—The members of the ini-
tial board of directors shall serve as incorporators 
and shall take whatever actions are necessary to es-
tablish the Corporation under the District of Colum-
bia Nonprofit Corporation Act (sec. 29–301.01 et 
seq.). 
(3) TERM OF OFFICE.—The term of office of 
each member of the board appointed by the Sec-
retary shall be 3 years, except that, of the members 
first appointed— 
(A) 3 shall be appointed for terms of 1 
year; 
(B) 4 shall be appointed for terms of 2 
years; and 
(C) 4 shall be appointed for terms of 3 
years. 
(4) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy in the board 
shall not affect its power, but shall be filled in the 
manner required by this section. Any member whose 
term has expired may serve until the member’s suc-
cessor has taken office, or until the end of the cal-
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
06:13 Jun 19, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2935.IH
H2935
smartinez on PROD1PC64 with BILLS
endar year in which the member’s term has expired, 
whichever is earlier. Any member appointed to fill a 
vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term 
for which that member’s predecessor was appointed 
shall be appointed for the remainder of the prede-
cessor’s term. No member of the board shall be eligi-
ble to serve more than 2 consecutive full terms. 
(5) ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIR-
MAN.—Members of the board shall annually elect 
one of their members to be chairman and elect 1 or 
more of their members as a vice chairman or vice 
chairmen. 
(6) STATUS
AS
FEDERAL
EMPLOYEES.—Not-
withstanding any provision of law to the contrary, 
no member of the board may be considered to be a 
Federal employee of the United States by virtue of 
his or her service as a member of the board. 
(7) COMPENSATION; EXPENSES.—No member 
of the board shall receive any compensation from the 
Federal Government or the Corporation by virtue of 
his or her service as a member of the board. Each 
member of the board shall be paid actual travel ex-
penses and per diem in lieu of subsistence expenses 
when away from his or her usual place of residence, 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
06:13 Jun 19, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2935.IH
H2935
smartinez on PROD1PC64 with BILLS
in accordance with section 5703 of title 5, United 
States Code. 
(c) OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Corporation shall have 
an Executive Director, and such other officers as 
may be named and appointed by the board for terms 
and at rates of compensation fixed by the board. No 
individual other than a citizen of the United States 
may be an officer of the Corporation. The corpora-
tion may hire and fix the compensation of such em-
ployees as may be necessary to carry out its pur-
poses. No officer or employee of the Corporation 
may receive any salary or other compensation (ex-
cept for compensation for services on boards of di-
rectors of other organizations that do not receive 
funds from the Corporation, on committees of such 
boards, and in similar activities for such organiza-
tions) from any sources other than the Corporation 
for services rendered during the period of his or her 
employment by the Corporation. Service by any offi-
cer on boards of directors of other organizations, on 
committees of such boards, and in similar activities 
for such organizations shall be subject to annual ad-
vance approval by the board and subject to the pro-
visions of the Corporation’s Statement of Ethical 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
06:13 Jun 19, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2935.IH
H2935
smartinez on PROD1PC64 with BILLS
Conduct. All officers and employees shall serve at 
the pleasure of the board. 
(2) 
NONPOLITICAL
NATURE
OF
APPOINT-
MENT.—No political test or qualification shall be 
used in selecting, appointing, promoting, or taking 
other personnel actions with respect to officers, 
agents, or employees of the Corporation. 
(d) NONPROFIT
AND NONPOLITICAL NATURE
OF 
CORPORATION.— 
(1) STOCK.—The Corporation shall have no 
power to issue any shares of stock, or to declare or 
pay any dividends. 
(2) PROFIT.—No part of the income or assets 
of the Corporation shall inure to the benefit of any 
director, officer, employee, or any other individual 
except as salary or reasonable compensation for 
services. 
(3) POLITICS.—The Corporation may not con-
tribute to or otherwise support any political party or 
candidate for elective public office. 
(4) SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING LOBBYING 
ACTIVITIES.—It is the sense of Congress that the 
Corporation established under this Act should not 
engage in any lobbying activities with any employee 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
06:13 Jun 19, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2935.IH
H2935
smartinez on PROD1PC64 with BILLS