SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘U.S. Wants to Com-
pete for a World Expo Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The Bureau of International Expositions 
(BIE) is the organization responsible for governing 
World Fairs and International Expositions. 
(2) Section 1(a) of Public Law 91–269 (22 
U.S.C. 2801(a)) found that ‘‘international expo-
sitions * * * have a significant impact on the eco-
nomic growth of the region surrounding the expo-
sition and * * * are important instruments of na-
tional policy’’. 
(3) The United States has not been an active 
member of the BIE since 2001. 
(4) State and local governments and private en-
tities in the United States have continued to partici-
pate in international expositions held in foreign 
countries as a means of promoting United States ex-
ports and creating jobs, but face significantly higher 
costs for such participation because the United 
States is not an active member. 
(5) State and local governments and private en-
tities in the United States have expressed interest in 
an international exposition being hosted in the
United States, but the bid of a United States city, 
region, or State to host an international exposition 
is unlikely to be successful if the United States is 
not a member of the BIE. 
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) the United States should rejoin the BIE im-
mediately to promote domestic job creation, global 
branding, and tourism to the United States; 
(2) the Secretary of State, in partnership with 
the Secretary of Commerce, State and local govern-
ments, and private and non-profit entities, should 
take all necessary steps to facilitate the timely sub-
mission of a request to rejoin the BIE; and 
(3) funding for the participation of the United 
States in international expositions or other events 
facilitated by the BIE should continue to be pri-
vately solicited and sourced, in accordance with ex-
isting law. 
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State is author-
ized to take such actions as the Secretary determines nec-
essary for the United States to rejoin and maintain mem-
bership in the BIE.
(b) AUTHORIZATION
TO ACCEPT PRIVATE CON-
TRIBUTIONS.—In addition to funds otherwise available to 
the Secretary to carry out this section, the Secretary is 
authorized to accept contributions for such purpose. 
(c) NOTIFICATION.—The Secretary of State shall no-
tify the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Appropria-
tions of the House of Representatives and the Committees 
on Foreign Relations and Appropriations of the Senate 
upon taking any action under subsection (a). 
SEC. 5. CONTINUATION OF PROHIBITION ON USE OF FED-
ERAL FUNDS FOR WORLD’S FAIR PAVILIONS 
AND EXHIBITS. 
Nothing in this Act may be construed to authorize 
any obligation or expenditure prohibited by section 204 
of the Admiral James W. Nance and Meg Donovan For-
eign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2000 and 
2001 (22 U.S.C. 2452b) (relating to limitations on the 
obligation or expenditure of funds by the Department of 
State for a United States pavilion or exhibit at an inter-
national exposition or world’s fair registered by the BIE). 
Passed the House of Representatives April 25, 2017. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 534 
AN ACT 
To require the Secretary of State to take such ac-
tions as may be necessary for the United States 
to rejoin the Bureau of International Expo-
sitions, and for other purposes.