An act to permanently authorize the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card Program
PL 115-79 (S.504), enacted 11/02/2017

131 STAT. 1258 
PUBLIC LAW 115–79—NOV. 2, 2017 
Public Law 115–79 
115th Congress 
An Act 
To permanently authorize the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel 
Card Program. 
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 ‘‘Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 
Business Travel Cards Act of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION BUSINESS TRAVEL 
CARDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle B of title IV of the Homeland Secu-
rity Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 211 et seq.) is amended by inserting 
after section 417 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 418. ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION BUSINESS TRAVEL 
CARDS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection is authorized to issue an Asia-Pacific Economic 
Cooperation Business Travel Card (referred to in this section as 
an ‘ABT Card’) to any individual described in subsection (b). 
‘‘(b) CARD ISSUANCE.—An individual described in this subsection 
is an individual who— 
‘‘(1) is a citizen of the United States; 
‘‘(2) has been approved and is in good standing in an 
existing international trusted traveler program of the Depart-
ment; and 
‘‘(3) is— 
‘‘(A) engaged in business in the Asia-Pacific region, 
as determined by the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection; or 
‘‘(B) a United States Government official actively 
engaged in Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation business, as 
determined by the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection. 
‘‘(c) INTEGRATION WITH EXISTING TRAVEL PROGRAMS.—The 
Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall 
integrate application procedures for, and issuance, renewal, and 
revocation of, ABT Cards with existing international trusted trav-
eler programs of the Department. 
‘‘(d) COOPERATION WITH PRIVATE ENTITIES AND NONGOVERN-
MENTAL ORGANIZATIONS.—In carrying out this section, the Commis-
sioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection may consult with 
Procedures. 
6 USC 218. 
Asia-Pacific 
Economic 
Cooperation 
Business 
Travel Cards 
Act of 2017. 
6 USC 101 note. 
Nov. 2, 2017 
[S. 504] 
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131 STAT. 1259 
PUBLIC LAW 115–79—NOV. 2, 2017 
appropriate private sector entities and nongovernmental organiza-
tions, including academic institutions. 
‘‘(e) FEE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection shall— 
‘‘(A) prescribe and collect a fee for the issuance and 
renewal of ABT Cards; and 
‘‘(B) adjust such fee to the extent the Commissioner 
determines necessary to comply with paragraph (2). 
‘‘(2) LIMITATION.—The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection shall ensure that the total amount of the 
fees collected under paragraph (1) during any fiscal year is 
sufficient to offset the direct and indirect costs associated with 
carrying out this section during such fiscal year, including 
the costs associated with operating and maintaining the ABT 
Card issuance and renewal processes. 
‘‘(3) ACCOUNT FOR COLLECTIONS.—There is established in 
the Treasury of the United States an ‘Asia-Pacific Economic 
Cooperation Business Travel Card Account’ into which the fees 
collected under paragraph (1) shall be deposited as offsetting 
receipts. 
‘‘(4) USE
OF
FUNDS.—Amounts deposited into the Asia 
Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card Account 
established under paragraph (3) shall— 
‘‘(A) be credited to the appropriate account of the U.S. 
Customs and Border Protection for expenses incurred in 
carrying out this section; and 
‘‘(B) remain available until expended. 
‘‘(f) NOTIFICATION.—The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection shall notify the Committee on Homeland Security 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate not later than 
60 days after the expenditures of funds to operate and provide 
ABT Card services beyond the amounts collected under subsection 
(e)(1). 
‘‘(g) TRUSTED TRAVELER PROGRAM DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘trusted traveler program’ means a voluntary program 
of the Department that allows U.S. Customs and Border Protection 
to expedite clearance of pre-approved, low-risk travelers arriving 
in the United States.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents in section 
1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 417 the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 418. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards.’’. 
SEC. 3. ACCOUNT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding the repeal of the Asia-Pacific 
Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards Act of 2011 (Public 
Law 112–54; 8 U.S.C. 1185 note) pursuant to section 4(b)(1), 
amounts deposited into the APEC Business Travel Card Account 
established pursuant to such Act as of the date of the enactment 
of this Act are hereby transferred to the Asia-Pacific Economic 
Cooperation Business Travel Card Account established pursuant 
to section 418(e) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (as added 
by section 2(a) of this Act), and shall be available without regard 
to whether such amounts are expended in connection with expenses 
6 USC 218 note. 
Deadline. 
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131 STAT. 1260 
PUBLIC LAW 115–79—NOV. 2, 2017 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 504 (H.R. 2805): 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 115–274 (Comm. on Homeland Security) accompanying 
H.R. 2805. 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 115–140 (Comm. on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 163 (2017): 
Sept. 26, considered and passed Senate. 
Oct. 23, considered and passed House. 
incurred with respect to an ABT Card issued at any time before 
or after such date of enactment. 
(b) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts deposited in the Asia-Pacific Eco-
nomic Cooperation Business Travel Card Account established pursu-
ant to section 418(e) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, in 
addition to the purposes for which such amounts are available 
pursuant to such subsection, shall also be available for expenditure 
in connection with expenses incurred with respect to ABT Cards 
issued at any time before the date of the enactment of such section. 
(c) TERMINATION.—After the completion of the transfer 
described in subsection (a), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 
Business Travel Card Account established pursuant to the Asia- 
Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards Act of 2011 
shall be closed. 
SEC. 4. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS AND REPEAL. 
(a) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 411(c) of section 411 
of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 211(c)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (17), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (18) as paragraph (19); 
and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (17) the following: 
‘‘(18) carry out section 418, relating to the issuance of 
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards; and’’. 
(b) REPEAL.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 
Business Travel Cards Act of 2011 (Public Law 112–54; 8 
U.S.C. 1185 note) is repealed. 
(2) SAVING
CLAUSE.—Notwithstanding the repeal under 
paragraph (1), an ABT Card issued pursuant to the Asia- 
Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards Act of 
2011 before the date of the enactment of this Act that, as 
of such date, is still valid, shall remain valid on and after 
such date until such time as such Card would otherwise expire. 
Approved November 2, 2017. 
8 USC 1185 note. 
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