This is the journalistic equivalent of a Friday news dump. The U.S. Senate approved six spending bills, including one that would avert a government shutdown and create funding for the Assistant Secretary of Travel and Tourism.
The bill passed overwhelmingly on Friday, with a deadline looming.
The bill now goes to President Joe Biden's desk for approval. There are over 1,000 pages in total. This is a bipartisan negotiation.
It passed overwhelmingly in the House of Representatives earlier this week.
Biden is expected to sign the bill
Biden was expected to sign the bills into law today.
The White House said in a statement: “Federal fund obligations are accrued and tracked daily, and the President will sign the bill on Saturday, so government agencies may not be shut down and may continue normal operations.” Stated.
There are six additional spending bills to consider, although they are not related to travel.
U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Jeff Freeman said Friday night he was pleased with the results.
“Funding this important position is a step toward ensuring America's long-term global competitiveness. While other countries are working hard to increase their share of global travel, the United States remains neutral. “We remain in a position where we are at a low level, in part due to the lack of a coordinated whole-of-government approach to increasing travel,” he said in a statement. .
“The Assistant Secretary will play a valuable role in coordinating government-wide efforts to innovate travel facilitation and address persistent challenges hindering growth. It will also be essential in hosting key international events over the next decade, including the 2020 World Travel Forum, and preparing to compete for a larger share of the global travel market. US Travel is committed to funding this important government position. Thank you to our Congressional leaders for providing this. We also urge the Biden Administration to immediately do its part and prioritize a travel economy that benefits American workers and every region of the country. I ask.”
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