American Music Tourism Act of 2025

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 617 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 617

To amend the Visit America Act to promote music tourism, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 22, 2025

    Mrs. Harshbarger (for herself and Ms. Barragan) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Visit America Act to promote music 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 ``American Music Tourism Act of 
2025''.

SEC. 2. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF COMMERCE FOR 
              TRAVEL AND TOURISM.

    (a) Domestic Travel and Tourism.--Section 605(b) of the Visit 
America Act (15 U.S.C. 9803(b)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a 
        semicolon;
            (2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) identify locations and events in the United States 
        that are important to music tourism and facilitate and promote 
        domestic travel and tourism to those locations and events.''.
    (b) Facilitation of International Business and Leisure Travel.--
Section 605 of the Visit America Act (15 U.S.C. 9803) is amended by 
striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
    ``(d) Facilitation of International Business and Leisure Travel.--
The Assistant Secretary, in coordination with relevant Federal 
agencies, shall strive to increase and facilitate international 
business and leisure travel to the United States and ensure 
competitiveness by--
            ``(1) facilitating large meetings, incentives, conferences, 
        and exhibitions in the United States;
            ``(2) emphasizing rural and other destinations in the 
        United States that are rich in cultural heritage or ecological 
        tourism, among other uniquely American destinations, as 
        locations for hosting international meetings, incentives, 
        conferences, and exhibitions;
            ``(3) facilitating and promoting international travel and 
        tourism to sports and recreation events and activities in the 
        United States; and
            ``(4) identifying locations and events in the United States 
        that are important to music tourism and facilitating and 
        promoting international travel and tourism to those locations 
        and events.''.
    (c) Reporting Requirements.--Section 605(f) of the Visit America 
Act (15 U.S.C. 9803(f)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) Report on goals relating to domestic and 
        international travel.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of the American Music Tourism Act of 2025, and every 
        2 years thereafter, the Assistant Secretary shall submit to the 
        Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
        Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
        Representatives a report of activities, findings, achievements, 
        and vulnerabilities relating to the goals described in 
        subsections (a) through (d).''.
    (d) Definition.--Section 600 of title VI of division BB of the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (15 U.S.C. 9801) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as 
        subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, and adjusting the 
        margins accordingly;
            (2) by striking ``In this title, the term `COVID-19 public 
        health emergency'--'' and inserting the following:
    ``In this title:
            ``(1) COVID-19 public health emergency.--The term `COVID-19 
        public health emergency'--''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(2) Music tourism.--The term `music tourism' means--
                    ``(A) the act of traveling to a State or locality 
                to visit historic or modern day music-related 
                attractions, including museums, studios, venues of all 
                sizes, and other sites related to music; or
                    ``(B) the act of traveling to a State or locality 
                to attend a music festival, a concert, or other live 
                musical performance or music-related special event.''.
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