Congress · Laws

National Tourism Policy Act

Public Law 97-63 · S. 304 · 97th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Oct 16, 1981 · Commerce

Sponsor: Sen. Larry Pressler (R-SD)

Cosponsors (22): Sen. John Warner, Sen. Howard Baker,

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 288 yea, 112 nay288–112
SenateVoice vote

Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

National Tourism Policy Act - Amends the International Travel Act of 1961 to establish a national policy to promote the U.S. tourism and recreation industries.

Directs the Secretary of Commerce to: (1) establish facilitation services at major U.S. ports-of-entry; (2) consult with foreign governments on travel and tourism and represent U.S. travel and tourism interests; (3) develop and administer a program for travel industry information, data service, training and education, and technical assistance; (4) develop a program to provide Federal agencies with information regarding the needs and interests of the tourism industry; (5) encourage travel to and from the United States on U.S. carriers; (6) assure coordination within the Department of Commerce to implement a national tourism policy; and (7) submit annually to Congress a marketing plan to promote travel to the United States.

Authorizes the Secretary to provide financial assistance to regions of not less than two States or portions of two States for the implementation of regional tourism promotional and marketing programs which shall serve as demonstration projects.

Establishes in the Department of Commerce a United States Travel and Tourism Administration (in lieu of the present U.S. Travel Service) headed by an Under Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism.

Directs the Secretary to designate an Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Tourism Marketing who shall be responsible for the marketing plan required by this Act.

Prohibits the Secretary from: (1) reducing the number of foreign offices of the Administration or the number of Administration employees assigned to foreign countries below the number of U.S. Travel Service employees assigned to foreign countries in fiscal year 1979; and (2) reducing the amounts obligated for the Administration foreign offices below the amounts obligated in fiscal year 1980 for foreign offices of the U.S. Travel Service.

Establishes a Tourism Policy Council to coordinate policies and programs relating to tourism, recreation, or national heritage resources involving Federal departments or agencies. Requires Federal departments and agencies to make available any personnel, information, and services which the Council may request. Directs the Council to establish policy committees to monitor specific areas of Federal activity related to tourism. Requires the Council to report annually to the President for transmittal to Congress.

Establishes the Travel and Tourism Advisory Board to advise the Secretary on the implementation of such Act and the Assistant Secretary for Tourism Marketing in the preparation of the marketing plan. Requires the Board to report annually on its activities.

Authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 1982.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 97th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 289 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

289 yea113 nay31 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(186)

Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
Rep. Tom HarkinD-IA-5
Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
Rep. John ConyersD-MI-1
Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
Rep. George CrockettD-MI-13
Rep. Mickey LelandD-TX-18
Rep. Mervyn DymallyD-CA-31
Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
Rep. Phillip BurtonD-CA-6
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-19
Rep. William GrayD-PA-2
Rep. Frederick RichmondD-NY-14
Rep. John BurtonD-CA-5
Rep. Theodore WeissD-NY-20
Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
Rep. Harold FordD-TN-8
Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
Rep. David BoniorD-MI-12
Rep. Peter RodinoD-NJ-10
Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
Rep. Victor FazioD-CA-4
Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-29
Rep. Paul SimonD-IL-24
Rep. Benjamin RosenthalD-NY-8
Rep. William LehmanD-FL-13
Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
Rep. James ShannonD-MA-5
Rep. James ScheuerD-NY-11
Rep. Daniel AkakaD-HI-2
Rep. Richard OttingerD-NY-24
Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-3
Rep. William CoyneD-PA-14
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-24
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-7
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-4
Rep. John WilliamsD-MT-1
Rep. Michael LowryD-WA-7
Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-30
Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. Barney FrankD-MA-4
Rep. Chuck SchumerD-NY-16
Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
Rep. Albert GoreD-TN-4
Rep. Bernard DwyerD-NJ-15
Rep. Brian DonnellyD-MA-11
Rep. Barbara MikulskiD-MD-3
Rep. Raymond KogovsekD-CO-3
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. Robert MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Geraldine FerraroD-NY-9
Rep. Donald BaileyD-PA-21
Rep. Anthony CoelhoD-CA-15
Rep. Martin FrostD-TX-24
Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
Rep. Frank GuariniD-NJ-14
Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
Rep. Mary OakarD-OH-20
Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
Rep. Matthew McHughD-NY-27
Rep. Joseph SmithD-PA-3
Rep. Mario BiaggiD-NY-10
Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
Rep. Nicholas MavroulesD-MA-6
Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
Rep. Howard WolpeD-MI-3
Rep. Adam BenjaminD-IN-1
Rep. James WeaverD-OR-4
Rep. Ron WydenD-OR-3
Rep. Peter PeyserD-NY-23
Rep. John FaryD-IL-5
Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. William RatchfordD-CT-5
Rep. James BlanchardD-MI-18
Rep. Tom LantosD-CA-11
Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
Rep. James FlorioD-NJ-1
Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-37
Rep. Leo ZeferettiD-NY-15
Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
Rep. Jerome TraxlerD-MI-8
Rep. Les AuCoinD-OR-1
Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
Rep. David EvansD-IN-6
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6
Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
Rep. Allan SwiftD-WA-2
Rep. Don BonkerD-WA-3
Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
Rep. Dennis EckartD-OH-22
Rep. Timothy WirthD-CO-2
Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
Rep. Charles DowdyD-MS-4
Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
Rep. Jerry PattersonD-CA-38
Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-36
Rep. Sam GejdensonD-CT-2
Rep. Stanley LundineD-NY-39
Rep. Robert ShamanskyD-OH-12
Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
Rep. Leon PanettaD-CA-16
Rep. Michael SynarD-OK-2
Rep. Cecil HeftelD-HI-1
Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
Rep. Byron DorganD-ND
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Donald AlbostaD-MI-10
Rep. Wyche FowlerD-GA-5
Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
Rep. David BowenD-MS-2
Rep. Allen ErtelD-PA-17
Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
Rep. Tom DaschleD-SD-1
Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
Rep. Michael BarnesD-MD-8
Rep. Douglas WalgrenD-PA-18
Rep. Wes WatkinsD-OK-3
Rep. Ronnie FlippoD-AL-5
Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
Rep. Floyd FithianD-IN-2
Rep. Robert YoungD-MO-2
Rep. William BonerD-TN-5
Rep. Beryl AnthonyD-AR-4
Rep. Ed JonesD-TN-7
Rep. James JonesD-OK-1
Rep. Bo GinnD-GA-1
Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
Rep. Ike AndrewsD-NC-4
Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
Rep. Martin RussoD-IL-3
Rep. Marilyn LloydD-TN-3
Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
Rep. Norman D’AmoursD-NH-1
Rep. Harold VolkmerD-MO-9
Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-32
Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
Rep. Royden DysonD-MD-1
Rep. Daniel MicaD-FL-11
Rep. Thomas LukenD-OH-2
Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
Rep. Austin MurphyD-PA-22
Rep. William HughesD-NJ-2
Rep. Charles HatcherD-GA-2
Rep. Charles WhitleyD-NC-3
Rep. Bill NelsonD-FL-9
Rep. Jack BrinkleyD-GA-3
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. William PatmanD-TX-14
Rep. Carroll HubbardD-KY-1
Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4
Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
Rep. Douglas ApplegateD-OH-18
Rep. Earl HuttoD-FL-1
Rep. William ChappellD-FL-4
Rep. David McCurdyD-OK-4
Rep. Ed JenkinsD-GA-9
Rep. Elliott LevitasD-GA-4
Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
Rep. Glenn EnglishD-OK-6
Rep. Druie BarnardD-GA-10
Rep. Kent HanceD-TX-19
Rep. Beverly ByronD-MD-6
Rep. Lawrence FountainD-NC-2
Rep. John BreauxD-LA-7
Rep. Ronald MottlD-OH-23
Rep. James SantiniD-NV
Rep. Ralph HallD-TX-4
Rep. Andy IrelandD-FL-8
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Phil GrammD-TX-6

Republicans who voted yea(102)

Rep. Harold HollenbeckR-NJ-9
Rep. Claudine SchneiderR-RI-2
Rep. Bill GreenR-NY-18
Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-12
Rep. Jim JeffordsR-VT
Rep. Lawrence DeNardisR-CT-3
Rep. Margaret HecklerR-MA-10
Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
Rep. Marc MarksR-PA-24
Rep. Charles DoughertyR-PA-4
Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-26
Rep. Robert DavisR-MI-11
Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-34
Rep. Lyle WilliamsR-OH-19
Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-25
Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4
Rep. Carl PursellR-MI-2
Rep. Eugene AtkinsonR-PA-25
Rep. Joel PritchardR-WA-1
Rep. Thomas RailsbackR-IL-19
Rep. Donald MitchellR-NY-31
Rep. Olympia SnoweR-ME-2
Rep. Huey DeckardR-IN-8
Rep. James NelliganR-PA-11
Rep. William WamplerR-VA-9
Rep. John DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. William ClingerR-PA-23
Rep. Arlen ErdahlR-MN-1
Rep. Harold SawyerR-MI-5
Rep. David EmeryR-ME-1
Rep. Donald ClausenR-CA-2
Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
Rep. Thomas EvansR-DE
Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
Rep. Guy MolinariR-NY-17
Rep. John NapierR-SC-6
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10
Rep. Thomas TaukeR-IA-2
Rep. James DunnR-MI-6
Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
Rep. Stanford ParrisR-VA-8
Rep. Earl ColemanR-MO-6
Rep. John PorterR-IL-10
Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
Rep. John StantonR-OH-11
Rep. David MarriottR-UT-2
Rep. Hal RogersR-KY-5
Rep. Elwood HillisR-IN-5
Rep. Sidney MorrisonR-WA-4
Rep. James CourterR-NJ-13
Rep. Raymond McGrathR-NY-5
Rep. Marion SnyderR-KY-4
Rep. George WhitehurstR-VA-2
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
Rep. William CarneyR-NY-1
Rep. Larry HopkinsR-KY-6
Rep. Skip BafalisR-FL-10
Rep. George WortleyR-NY-32
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-6
Rep. David MartinR-NY-30
Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Robert McCloryR-IL-13
Rep. Toby RothR-WI-8
Rep. Larry WinnR-KS-3
Rep. Edwin BethuneR-AR-2
Rep. Steven GundersonR-WI-3
Rep. Manuel LujánR-NM-1
Rep. Carroll CampbellR-SC-4
Rep. Joseph SkeenR-NM-2
Rep. Ronald MarleneeR-MT-2
Rep. Arlan StangelandR-MN-7
Rep. Tom PetriR-WI-6
Rep. Jack KempR-NY-38
Rep. Clay ShawR-FL-12
Rep. William LoweryR-CA-41
Rep. David StatonR-WV-3
Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-6
Rep. Donald RitterR-PA-15
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5
Rep. Gregory CarmanR-NY-3
Rep. Bill McCollumR-FL-5
Rep. Gary LeeR-NY-33
Rep. John LeBoutillierR-NY-6
Rep. Clair BurgenerR-CA-43
Rep. Bill ThomasR-CA-18
Rep. Kenneth KramerR-CO-5
Rep. Robert LagomarsinoR-CA-19
Rep. Eldon RuddR-AZ-4
Rep. William HendonR-NC-11
Rep. Thomas LoefflerR-TX-21
Rep. Clint RobertsR-SD-2
Rep. Judd GreggR-NH-2
Rep. Edward DerwinskiR-IL-4
Rep. Wayne GrishamR-CA-33
Rep. Richard CheneyR-WY
Rep. James SensenbrennerR-WI-9
Rep. Wendell BaileyR-MO-8
Rep. Robert BadhamR-CA-40
Rep. John AshbrookR-OH-17
Rep. Gerald SolomonR-NY-29

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 213 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. 1 yea vote was cast by members of neither major party and is highlighted on the compass but not listed. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Energy and Commerce Committee · House · discharged from, referred toSubcommittee: Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Competitiveness Subcommittee

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 24 actions.

Oct 16, 1981Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-63.
Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
Oct 5, 1981PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
Oct 1, 1981Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Conference Report by Yea-Nay Vote: 288 - 112 (Record Vote No: 226).House roll call 226
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House Agreed to Conference Report by Yea-Nay Vote: 288 - 112 (Record Vote No: 226).House roll call 226
Sep 29, 1981Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Considered by House Conference Report Vote Postponed.
FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
Sep 25, 1981Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference Report 97-252 Filed in House.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference Report 97-252 Filed in House.
Sep 17, 1981Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conferees agreed to file conference report.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference committee actions: Conferees agreed to file conference report.
Aug 4, 1981Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Request for Conference and Speaker Appointed Conferees: Dingell, Florio, Broyhill.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Insisted on its Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
Jul 30, 1981Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate disagreed to House amendments, requested a conference and appointed conferees. Packwood; Pressler; Schmitt; Goldwater; Cannon; Inouye; Exon.
Jul 28, 1981FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Energy and Commerce Committee
Feb 18, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Competitiveness Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
Feb 6, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Competitiveness Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
Jan 29, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee
Jan 27, 1981FloorFloor · Introduced in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed with an amendment by Voice Vote.
IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate

Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.