Title: TRAVEL Act
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Transportation Resources to Add Vital Economic Longevity Act or the TRAVEL Act
This bill makes various changes to programs of the Department of Transportation (DOT) to facilitate travel and tourism.
The changes include
In addition, DOT must consider the extent to which a project contributes to economic competitiveness, including increased travel and tourism, when selecting projects for the National Infrastructure Investment program.
DOT must also establish a program to fund planning activities and projects to improve and facilitate long-haul travel (trips of at least 50 miles from the point of origin to the point of destination) on the national transportation network.
Additionally, the bill expands eligibility for other transportation-related grants and programs to include projects related to travel and tourism. In particular, it makes such projects eligible for (1) the Nationally Significant Highway and Freight Projects program, (2) the Surface Transportation Block Grant, (3) the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program, and (4) the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program.
The bill also sets out economic vitality as a separate goal of the Federal-Aid Highway Program. (Currently, the goal of economic vitality is linked specifically to freight movement.)

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1516 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1516

To amend titles 23 and 49, United States Code, to encourage travel and 
                    tourism, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 29, 2021

 Ms. Cortez Masto introduced the following bill; which was read twice 
     and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend titles 23 and 49, United States Code, to encourage travel and 
                    tourism, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Transportation Resources to Add 
Vital Economic Longevity Act'' or the ``TRAVEL Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) travel is the seventh-largest industry in the United 
        States, with respect to employment;
            (2) the Department of Transportation document entitled 
        ``National Travel and Tourism Infrastructure Strategic Plan FY 
        2020-2024'' and dated January 2021--
                    (A) states that--
                            (i) the travel and tourism industry in the 
                        United States--
                                    (I) supports 1 out of 10 United 
                                States jobs;
                                    (II) accounts for--
                                            (aa) 2.9 percent of the 
                                        annual gross domestic product; 
                                        and
                                            (bb) more than 15,000,000 
                                        jobs; and
                                    (III) annually contributes 
                                $2,600,000,000,000 in economic activity 
                                across each State and territory;
                            (ii) the national intermodal transportation 
                        network is the backbone of the travel and 
                        tourism industry, facilitating the large-scale 
                        movement of business and leisure travelers 
                        throughout the United States;
                            (iii) the performance of the highway 
                        network, as in existence on the date of 
                        enactment of this Act, has been suboptimal for 
                        travel in urban areas of all sizes, leading to 
                        steadily increasing travel time in all urban 
                        areas, including--
                                    (I) small urban areas with a 
                                population of less than 500,000 
                                individuals; and
                                    (II) very large urban areas with a 
                                population of more than 3,000,000 
                                individuals;
                            (iv) seamless, multimodal travel options 
                        are critical to supporting business and leisure 
                        travel in the United States;
                            (v)(I) approximately 9 out of 10 long-
                        distance passenger trips covering a distance of 
                        more than 50 miles involve the use of a 
                        personal vehicle; and
                            (II) most tourist travel in the United 
                        States occurs in personal vehicles;
                            (vi)(I) intercity buses and motor coaches 
                        are also significant modes of travel; and
                            (II) in calendar year 2015, there were more 
                        than 600,000,000 passenger trips taken by motor 
                        coach, a number that represents--
                                    (aa) nearly as many passenger trips 
                                as were taken through United States 
                                airlines; and
                                    (bb) 20 times as many passenger 
                                trips as were taken on Amtrak; and
                            (vii)(I) the usage of public roads as of 
                        the date of enactment of this Act is greater 
                        than such usage 30 years before that date of 
                        enactment; but
                            (II) road capacity has increased by 
                        approximately 8 percent, while vehicle miles 
                        traveled has increased by approximately 50 
                        percent;
                    (B) forecasts that--
                            (i) by 2023--
                                    (I) domestic long-distance trips 
                                will increase, as compared to 2018 
                                levels, by 8.6 percent; and
                                    (II) leisure trips will comprise 
                                approximately 80 percent of all 
                                domestic trips in the United States 
                                each year; and
                            (ii) by 2045, significant congestion is 
                        expected on many United States highways, which 
                        will greatly affect tourism travel, as 
                        passenger vehicles and motor coaches will be 
                        caught in congested highway stretches alongside 
                        major freight networks;
                    (C) finds that international tourism across all 
                countries--
                            (i) increased from 1,000,000,000 trips 
                        during calendar year 2012 to 1,400,000,000 
                        during calendar year 2018; and
                            (ii) is estimated to increase to 
                        1,800,000,000 or more trips during calendar 
                        year 2030;
                    (D) describes financial barriers, including the 
                findings that--
                            (i) the Department of Transportation 
                        administers several funding programs, some of 
                        which apply models and approaches that 
                        typically emphasize peak-period commuting and 
                        freight movement, rather than temporary or 
                        seasonal visitation; and
                            (ii) while travel and tourism trips may 
                        benefit from investments under the programs 
                        described in clause (i), areas with small 
                        resident populations but significant tourism 
                        traffic may not receive funding that 
                        corresponds to applicable demands on 
                        transportation infrastructure; and
                    (E) includes strategies to improve intermodal 
                connectivity, such as--
                            (i) developing guidance and best practices 
                        to help States and metropolitan planning 
                        organizations to address the new travel and 
                        tourism planning factor;
                            (ii) modernizing data collection and 
                        modeling and forecasting approaches for long-
                        distance trips;
                            (iii) assessing the means by which formula 
                        and discretionary funding programs of the 
                        Department of Transportation could benefit 
                        travel and tourism projects; and
                            (iv) communicating key travel and tourism 
                        facilities and corridors;
            (3) 83 percent of all travel- and tourism-dependent 
        businesses are small businesses;
            (4) the economic benefits of travel depend on the condition 
        and performance of the national transportation network; and
            (5) as of the date of enactment of this Act, aging 
        infrastructure, increased demand and congestion, poor or no 
        multimodal connectivity, and a multitude of other challenges 
        are--
                    (A) impairing travel mobility in the United States; 
                and
                    (B) causing strain on the ability to sustain and 
                grow the travel and tourism industry in the United 
                States.

SEC. 3. NATIONALLY SIGNIFICANT FREIGHT, HIGHWAY, AND TRANSPORTATION 
              PROJECTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 117 of title 23, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by striking ``freight and 
        highway'' and inserting ``freight, highway, and 
        transportation'';
            (2) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``freight and 
                highway'' and inserting ``freight, highway, and 
                transportation''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2)(D), by striking ``freight'';
            (3) in subsection (d)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)(A)--
                            (i) in clause (iii)(II), by striking ``or'' 
                        at the end;
                            (ii) in clause (iv), by striking ``and'' at 
                        the end and inserting ``or''; and
                            (iii) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(v) a surface transportation project 
                        eligible for Federal assistance under this 
                        title, if the Secretary determines that the 
                        project is--
                                    ``(I) functionally connected to, 
                                and increases the efficiency of, the 
                                National Highway Freight Network; or
                                    ``(II) carried out in accordance 
                                with the National Travel and Tourism 
                                Infrastructure Strategic Plan under 
                                section 1431(e) of Public Law 114-94 
                                (49 U.S.C. 301 note); and'';
                    (B) by striking paragraph (2);
                    (C) by striking the subsection designation and 
                heading and all that follows through ``Except as'' in 
                the matter preceding subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) 
                and inserting the following:
    ``(d) Eligible Projects.--Except as'';
                    (D) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as 
                paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively, and indenting the 
                paragraphs appropriately;
                    (E) in paragraph (1) (as so redesignated)--
                            (i) by redesignating clauses (i) through 
                        (v) (as added by subparagraph (A)(iii)) as 
                        subparagraphs (A) through (E), respectively, 
                        and indenting the subparagraphs appropriately; 
                        and
                            (ii) in each of subparagraphs (B), (C), and 
                        (E) (as so redesignated), by redesignating 
                        subclauses (I) and (II) as clauses (i) and 
                        (ii), respectively, and indenting the clauses 
                        appropriately; and
                    (F) in paragraph (2) (as so redesignated)--
                            (i) by redesignating clauses (i) and (ii) 
                        as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, and 
                        indenting the subparagraphs appropriately; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B) (as so 
                        redesignated), by redesignating subclauses (I) 
                        and (II) as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively, 
                        and indenting the clauses appropriately;
            (4) in subsection (e)(1)--
                    (A) by striking ``subsection (d)(1)(A)'' and 
                inserting ``subsection (d)(1)''; and
                    (B) by striking ``subsection (d)(1)(B)'' and 
                inserting ``subsection (d)(2)'';
            (5) by redesignating subsections (i) through (n) as 
        subsections (j) through (o), respectively;
            (6) by inserting after subsection (h) the following:
    ``(i) Multistate Corridor Planning, Operations, and Management.--
            ``(1) Definition of multistate corridor organization.--In 
        this subsection, the term `multistate corridor organization' 
        means an organization--
                    ``(A) that is--
                            ``(i) comprised of--
                                    ``(I) States; and
                                    ``(II) applicable metropolitan 
                                planning organizations; and
                            ``(ii) developed through cooperative 
                        agreements, coalitions, or other arrangements; 
                        and
                    ``(B) the purpose of which is to promote regional 
                cooperation, planning, and shared project 
                implementation for programs and projects to improve 
                transportation system management and operations for a 
                shared transportation corridor.
            ``(2) Reservation.--The Secretary shall reserve not less 
        than 10 percent of the amounts made available under this 
        section for each fiscal year to make grants to multistate 
        corridor organizations to promote regional cooperation and the 
        planning of projects and activities to improve multimodal 
        transportation system operations and management in critical 
        transportation corridors.
            ``(3) Use of funds.--Funds reserved under paragraph (2) may 
        be used--
                    ``(A) to support--
                            ``(i) multistate coordination for planning, 
                        development, and construction of major 
                        multimodal capital projects; and
                            ``(ii) development of information 
                        technology and operations that improve the 
                        intermodal movement of freight and passengers;
                    ``(B) to enhance coordination and implementation of 
                interagency efforts in response to incidents; and
                    ``(C) to develop a corridor-wide, multimodal 
                traveler information system that provides agencies and 
                travelers with accurate and timely information 
                regarding incidents, congestion, and construction 
                activity.
            ``(4) Considerations.--In making grants under this 
        subsection, the Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) give priority to projects located in 
                corridors that--
                            ``(i) are part of the Interstate System; or
                            ``(ii) will be designated as part of the 
                        Interstate System after completion of the work 
                        described in an application received by the 
                        Secretary; and
                    ``(B) take into consideration--
                            ``(i) the extent to which--
                                    ``(I) a corridor provides a link 
                                between 2 existing segments of the 
                                Interstate System;
                                    ``(II) a project will facilitate 
                                regional mobility, accessibility, and 
                                economic growth and development in 
                                areas underserved by existing highway 
                                infrastructure;
                                    ``(III) international truck-borne 
                                commodities move through a corridor; 
                                and
                                    ``(IV) a project will make 
                                improvements to an existing segment of 
                                the Interstate System that will result 
                                in a decrease in congestion;
                            ``(ii) the reduction in commercial and 
                        other travel time through a major freight 
                        corridor expected as a result of a project; and
                            ``(iii) the value of the cargo carried by 
                        commercial vehicle traffic in a corridor and 
                        the economic costs arising from congestion in 
                        the corridor.''; and
            (7) in paragraph (1)(B) of subsection (n) (as so 
        redesignated), by striking ``subsection (d)(1)(A)(iii)'' and 
        inserting ``subsection (d)(1)(C)''.
    (b) Technical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 1 of title 23, 
United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating to section 
117 and inserting the following:

``Sec.  117. Nationally significant freight, highway, and 
                            transportation projects.''.

SEC. 4. FEDERAL SHARE PAYABLE.

    Section 120(c) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) Local or regional economic generator.--At the 
        discretion of the applicable State, the Federal share payable 
        on account of a project, program, or activity carried out with 
        funds apportioned under section 104(b) may be up to 100 
        percent, if the Secretary determines that the project, program, 
        or activity--
                    ``(A) results in significant local or economic 
                growth, including increased travel and tourism;
                    ``(B) is--
                            ``(i) included in the long-range 
                        transportation plan of the State under section 
                        135; and
                            ``(ii) recommended by the State travel and 
                        tourism advisory committee established under 
                        section 303(a) as a project, program, or 
                        activity of significance to local or regional 
                        economic development; or
                    ``(C) would help achieve the goals of the National 
                Travel and Tourism Infrastructure Strategic Plan under 
                section 1431(e) of Public Law 114-94 (49 U.S.C. 301 
                note).''.

SEC. 5. SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM.

    Section 133(b) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
            ``(16) Projects and programs to enhance travel and tourism 
        and mitigate impacts on communities, including infrastructure 
        improvements, intelligent transportation systems and signage, 
        and strategies to support increased seasonal travel, 
        accommodate future growth along major corridors for long-haul 
        travel, improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of 
        long-haul travel, and enhance connectivity between and among 
        modes of transportation and major destinations.''.

SEC. 6. TRANSPORTATION PLANNING.

    (a) Title 23 Amendments.--
            (1) Metropolitan.--Section 134(i)(2) of title 23, United 
        States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(I) Travel and tourism strategies.--Capital 
                investment and other strategies to enhance travel and 
                tourism and mitigate impacts on communities, including 
                infrastructure improvements and strategies to support 
                increased seasonal travel, accommodate future growth 
                along major corridors for long-haul travel, improve the 
                safety, efficiency, and reliability of long-haul 
                travel, and enhance connectivity between and among 
                modes of transportation and major destinations.''.
            (2) Statewide and nonmetropolitan.--Section 135 of title 
        23, United States Code, is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (f)(3)(A)(ii), by inserting 
                ``representatives of the travel and tourism industry,'' 
                after ``services,''; and
                    (B) in subsection (g)(3), by striking 
                ``operators),, providers of freight transportation 
                services,'' and inserting ``operators), providers of 
                freight transportation services, representatives of the 
                travel and tourism industry,''.
    (b) Title 49 Amendments.--
            (1) Scope of planning process.--Section 5303(h)(1) of title 
        49, United States Code, is amended--
                    (A) in subparagraph (H), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in subparagraph (I), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(J) support travel and tourism, including 
                interregional planning to address capacity, congestion, 
                and multimodal options for travelers.''.
            (2) Transportation plan.--Section 5303(i)(2) of title 49, 
        United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
        following:
                    ``(I) Travel and tourism strategies.--Capital 
                investment and other strategies to enhance travel and 
                tourism and mitigate impacts on communities, including 
                infrastructure improvements and strategies to support 
                increased seasonal travel, accommodate future growth 
                along major corridors for long-haul travel, improve the 
                safety, efficiency, and reliability of long-haul 
                travel, and enhance connectivity between and among 
                modes of transportation and major destinations.''.
            (3) Statewide and nonmetropolitan.--Section 5304 of title 
        49, United States Code, is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (e), in the matter preceding 
                paragraph (1), by striking the quotation marks before 
                ``In'';
                    (B) in subsection (f)(3)(A)(ii), by inserting 
                ``representatives of the travel and tourism industry,'' 
                after ``services,'';
                    (C) in subsection (g)(3), by inserting 
                ``representatives of the travel and tourism industry,'' 
                after ``services,''; and
                    (D) in subsection (i), by striking ``this this'' 
                and inserting ``this''.

SEC. 7. CONGESTION MITIGATION AND AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

    Section 149(b) of title 23, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (8)(B), by striking ``or'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (9), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; or''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(10) if the project or program mitigates seasonal or 
        temporary congestion from long-haul travel or tourism.''.

SEC. 8. NATIONAL GOALS.

    Section 150(b) of title 23, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (6) and (7) as paragraphs 
        (7) and (8), respectively; and
            (2) by striking paragraph (5) and inserting the following:
            ``(5) Freight movement.--To improve the National Highway 
        Freight Network and strengthen the ability of rural communities 
        to access national and international trade markets.
            ``(6) Economic vitality.--To support local and regional 
        economic development and increased tourism, recreational, and 
        business travel.''.

SEC. 9. NATIONAL TRAVEL MOBILITY PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 154 the following:
``Sec. 155. National Travel Mobility Program
    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Eligible project.--The term `eligible project' means 
        any project described in section 133(b).
            ``(2) Long-haul travel.--The term `long-haul travel' means 
        a trip consisting of not less than 50 miles from the point of 
        origin to the point of destination.
            ``(3) Nonlocal visitor.--The term `nonlocal visitor', with 
        respect to a State, means an individual who--
                    ``(A) does not permanently reside in the State; and
                    ``(B) engages in long-haul travel in the State 
                (including long-haul travel any portion of which occurs 
                within the State) for a period that includes at least 1 
                overnight stay in the State.
            ``(4) Program.--The term `program' means the National 
        Travel Mobility Program established under subsection (b).
    ``(b) Establishment.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a program, 
        to be known as the `National Travel Mobility Program', under 
        which the Secretary shall distribute funds to States in 
        accordance with subsection (c) to carry out eligible projects 
        that, as determined by the Secretary--
                    ``(A) alleviate congestion, improve reliability of 
                travel time, and accommodate future growth along major 
                corridors for long-haul travel;
                    ``(B) improve the safety and efficiency of long-
                haul travel;
                    ``(C) enhance connectivity between and among--
                            ``(i) modes of transportation; and
                            ``(ii) major destinations; and
                    ``(D) achieve the goals of the National Travel and 
                Tourism Infrastructure Strategic Plan under section 
                1431(e) of Public Law 114-94 (49 U.S.C. 301 note).
            ``(2) Purpose.--The purpose of the program shall be to 
        develop long-term plans and capital improvements that ensure 
        the efficient movement of people on the national transportation 
        network.
    ``(c) Distribution.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary 
shall distribute to each State for each fiscal year an amount equal to 
the sum of--
            ``(1) the product obtained by multiplying--
                    ``(A) the number of nonlocal visitors to the State 
                during fiscal year 2019; and
                    ``(B) $1.50; and
            ``(2) the product obtained by multiplying--
                    ``(A) the number of residents of the State engaging 
                in long-haul travel within the State during fiscal year 
                2019; and
                    ``(B) $0.50.
    ``(d) Use of Funds.--
            ``(1) In general.--A State shall use assistance received 
        under the program--
                    ``(A) to carry out 1 or more eligible projects in 
                the State; or
                    ``(B) to conduct long-term planning activities 
                relating to enhancing national and regional travel 
                mobility, in accordance with paragraph (2).
            ``(2) Long-term planning.--In conducting long-term planning 
        activities under the program, a State (or a metropolitan 
        planning organization on behalf of a State) shall--
                    ``(A) act in accordance with any applicable 
                requirements of a transportation improvement program 
                under sections 134 and 135; and
                    ``(B) identify projects and strategies to 
                facilitate travel and tourism.
            ``(3) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost of an 
        eligible project shall be--
                    ``(A) for an eligible project conducted on a unit 
                of the National Park System or other Federal land, 100 
                percent of the total cost of the eligible project; and
                    ``(B) for an eligible project conducted on land not 
                described in subparagraph (A), 80 percent of the total 
                cost of the eligible project.
    ``(e) National Multimodal Travel Infrastructure Network.--The 
Secretary shall use amounts made available to carry out the program to 
establish a network, to be known as the `National Multimodal Travel 
Infrastructure Network', to identify surface transportation assets 
(including assets of the National Highway System, rail assets, transit 
systems, assets to provide access to Federal land, National Parks, and 
Scenic Byways) that are critical to facilitating the majority of long-
haul travel to and within the United States.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary out of the Highway Trust Fund (other than 
the Mass Transit Account) $1,200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 
through 2026 to carry out the program, to be available for obligation, 
and subject to limitations, in the same manner as other projects on 
Federal-aid highways under this chapter.''.
    (b) Technical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 1 of title 23, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
section 154 the following:

``Sec.  155. National Travel Mobility Program.''.

SEC. 10. STATE TRAVEL AND TOURISM ADVISORY COMMITTEES.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 3 of title 23, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 302 the following:
``Sec. 303. State travel and tourism advisory committees
    ``(a) Establishment.--As a condition of receiving a grant under 
this chapter, a State shall establish or maintain a travel and tourism 
advisory committee, consisting of a balanced cross-section of public 
and private travel and tourism stakeholders representing all 
transportation modes, including--
            ``(1) travel and tourism industry product and service 
        providers;
            ``(2) travel- and tourism-related associations;
            ``(3) destination marketing organizations;
            ``(4) State tourism offices; and
            ``(5) the travel- and tourism-related workforce.
    ``(b) Qualifications.--Each member of a State travel and tourism 
advisory committee shall have qualifications sufficient to represent 
the interests of the stakeholder group represented by the member, such 
as experience or qualifications relating to--
            ``(1) general business and finance;
            ``(2) travel and tourism;
            ``(3) tourism planning, safety, or workforce issues;
            ``(4) representing employees of the travel and tourism 
        industry; or
            ``(5) representing units of State or local government or 
        metropolitan planning organizations in transportation-related 
        issues.
    ``(c) Duties.--Each State travel and tourism advisory committee 
established under subsection (a) shall--
            ``(1) advise the State with respect to travel- and tourism-
        related priorities, issues, projects, and funding needs;
            ``(2) serve as a forum for discussion for State 
        transportation decisions affecting travel and tourism;
            ``(3) communicate and coordinate with other travel- and 
        tourism-related organizations relating to regional priorities;
            ``(4) promote the sharing of information between the 
        private and public sectors regarding travel and tourism issues;
            ``(5) participate in the development of the statewide 
        transportation improvement program and long-range statewide 
        transportation plan under section 135; and
            ``(6) not less frequently than annually, submit to the 
        Members of Congress of the State a report that describes the 
        travel- and tourism-related issues and needs of the State, 
        including recommendations to address those issues and needs, if 
        any.''.
    (b) Technical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 3 of title 23, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
section 302 the following:

``Sec.  303. State travel and tourism advisory committees.''.

SEC. 11. OFFICE OF TRAVEL AND TOURISM.

    Section 102 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking 
``(h) The Department'' and inserting the following:
    ``(h) Office of Travel and Tourism.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--There is established in the Office of 
        the Secretary of Transportation a separate office, to be known 
        as the `Office of Travel and Tourism' (referred to in this 
        subsection as the `Office').
            ``(2) Duties.--The duties of the Office shall be--
                    ``(A) to plan, coordinate, and implement Department 
                of Transportation-wide research, strategies, and 
                actions to enhance travel and tourism;
                    ``(B) to serve as the primary point of contact for 
                the Department with respect to domestic travel and 
                tourism issues, including funding for the improvement 
                of travel and tourism infrastructure;
                    ``(C) to carry out the recommendations in the 
                National Travel and Tourism Infrastructure Strategic 
                Plan under section 1431(e) of Public Law 114-94 (49 
                U.S.C. 301 note);
                    ``(D) to update, not less frequently than once 
                every 4 years, the plan referred to in subparagraph 
                (C);
                    ``(E) to facilitate communication among government, 
                public, and private travel and tourism stakeholders; 
                and
                    ``(F) to carry out such other duties as the 
                Secretary of Transportation may require.
    ``(i) Departmental Seal.--The Department of Transportation''.

SEC. 12. CONSOLIDATED RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS.

    Section 22907 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraphs (8) through (12) as 
                paragraphs (9) through (13), respectively; and
                    (B) by inserting after paragraph (7) the following:
            ``(8) A capital project to increase access to a travel or 
        tourist destination.''; and
            (2) in subsection (e)(3)--
                    (A) by striking ``demand, and any other'' and 
                inserting the following: ``demand; and
                    ``(E) any other''; and
                    (B) in the matter preceding subparagraph (E) (as so 
                designated), by striking ``may include the effects'' 
                and inserting the following: ``may include--
                    ``(A) local and regional economic development;
                    ``(B) increased travel and tourism;
                    ``(C) increased mobility between modes;
                    ``(D) the effects''.

SEC. 13. MULTIMODAL GRANT SELECTION REQUIREMENT.

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law (including regulations), 
in each notice of funding opportunity for the National Infrastructure 
Investment program of the Department of Transportation, the Secretary 
of Transportation shall select among eligible projects by evaluating 
the extent to which each eligible project provides significant benefits 
to a State, a metropolitan area, a region, or the United States, 
including the extent to which the eligible project--
            (1) improves the safety of transportation facilities and 
        systems;
            (2) improves the condition of existing transportation 
        facilities and systems;
            (3) contributes to economic competitiveness over the 
        medium- to long-term, including by increasing travel and 
        tourism; and
            (4) improves access to and between transportation 
        facilities and systems.
                                 <all>