January 22, 2025
Mrs. Blackburn (for herself and Mr. Hickenlooper) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
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
and inserting the following:COVID–19 public health emergency
—
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 tourismmeans—(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.