April 29, 2026
Ms. Johnson of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
To authorize the Secretary of State to provide funds for a United States pavilion or other major exhibit at any international exposition or world’s fair, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the U.S. Participation in International Expositions Act
or the U.S. in Expos Act
.
Sec. 2. Findings
Congress makes the following findings:
(1)
Since 1851, Expos have introduced global consumer markets to United States culture, products, and technology, showcasing innovations such as x-ray machines, typewriters, touchscreens, the Ford Mustang, Disneyland, the Statue of Liberty, electricity, and much more.
(2)
These global mega-events have not only been platforms to display architectural marvels and technological advancement but have also served as opportunities for cultural exchange and diplomatic engagement.
(3)
The United States uses Expos to promote American innovation, culture, and values, engaging global audiences and demonstrating the benefits of democratic principles, including free and fair trade and representative government.
(4)
Expos facilitate people-to-people diplomacy while showcasing the latest American innovations that can help address global challenges and change the way we live.
(5)
Expos are also competitive environments, where visible American engagement sends a message to visitors about United States leadership on the global stage.
(6)
The Department of State is responsible for United States participation in international exhibitions, managing United States engagement with the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE), organizing United States participation at overseas Expos, and mobilizing international support for United States candidacies to host Expos.
(7)
The United States has hosted more than two dozen world’s fairs since its first in 1876 in Philadelphia.
(8)
The last United States-hosted world’s fair was The World of Rivers: Fresh Water as a Source of Life
in New Orleans in 1984, which included 15 participating countries and drew 7.355 million visitors.
(9)
Beginning in 1994, a statutory restriction limited Federal funding for United States presence at Expos.
(10)
Until the 2025 Expo in Osaka, the United States was the only G7 country that relies on private donations to guarantee its presence at world expos, and the only country in the world that relied entirely on private funding for the creation of its pavilion.
(11)
Sole reliance on private sector fundraising has caused the United States to miss out on important opportunities, including pulling out of the Hanover, Germany, Expo in 2000 and turning down an invitation to the Zaragoza, Spain, Expo in 2008.
(12)
Most recently, despite a two-year fundraising campaign, the Department of State was unable to raise private sector support for the United States Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, and had to accept support from the United Arab Emirates, the first time in history that a United States Pavilion at a world’s fair was funded by the host country.
(13)
In recognition of delays, design compromise, and the risk of not participating at all due to lack of Federal funding, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, which authorized the use of up to $25 million to support the United States pavilion at the 2025 Expo in Osaka, Japan—the first authorization of its type.
(14)
The United States pavilion at the 2025 Expo not only highlighted American leadership in technology, space exploration, tourism, and investment, but also proved to be the most popular pavilion, welcoming tens of millions of global visitors.
(15)
The United States should consider such participation a diplomatic priority and make the necessary investments to continue to fund a United States Pavilion that best tells America’s story to the millions of world visitors attending these mega-events.
Sec. 3. Repeal of limitation on use of funds for international expositions
(a) In general
Section 204 of the Admiral James W. Nance and Meg Donovan Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2000 and 2001 (22 U.S.C. 2452b) is repealed.
(b) Notification
(1) In general
Funds otherwise available to the Department of State may be obligated for a United States pavilion at an international fair or exposition abroad registered by the Bureau of International Expositions only if the appropriate congressional committees are notified not less than 15 days prior to such obligation.
(2) Matters to be included
Such notification shall include the following:
(A)
A description of the source of such funds, including any funds reprogrammed or transferred by the Department of State to be made available for such pavilion.
(B)
An estimate of the amount of investment such pavilion could bring to the United States.
(C)
A description of funds for the pavilion expected to be provided from sources other than the United States Government.
(D)
A description of the means by which the Department will require each entity receiving funds from the Department under a contract, grant, or other agreement to construct, maintain, or otherwise service such pavilion to certify that such entity—
(i)
is not in violation of the labor laws of the host country, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (Public Law 95–213), and any other applicable anti-corruption laws; and
(ii)
does not employ, or otherwise utilize, a victim of trafficking (as defined in section 103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102)).
(c) Final report
Not later than 180 days after the date on which such a United States pavilion is opened, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that includes—
(1)
the number of United States businesses that participated in such pavilion; and
(2)
the dollar amount and source of any funds from other sources obtained by the Department.
(d) Appropriate congressional committees defined
In this section, the term appropriate congressional committees
means the following:
(1)
The Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
(2)
The Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.