Congress greenlights permanent tourism lobby inside trade negotiations
H.R. 7454 — USMCA Travel and Tourism Resiliency Act · Filed by Dina Titus (D-NV) · 4 cosponsors · Introduced Feb 9, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill directs the U.S. Trade Representative to negotiate the creation of a formal Travel and Tourism Trade Working Group under USMCA during the next joint review. The group would be co-chaired by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico and include representatives from eight federal agencies, plus input from the travel and tourism industry advisory board. The working group would meet annually to discuss ways to boost tourism competitiveness, increase exports, and create jobs across North America, and would brief Congress regularly on its activities.
Why we flagged it
The bill establishes a formal trilateral working group under USMCA to coordinate travel and tourism policy across North America. It is primarily procedural and advisory, creating a forum for inter-agency and cross-border dialogue rather than imposing new regulations or direct subsidies.
What the text implies
- The Working Group may develop 'initiatives' that could later become binding USMCA commitments, potentially constraining future US regulatory autonomy in visa, border, or labor standards without explicit congressional approval at the time of implementation.
- Inclusion of Department of Homeland Security and Department of State suggests potential alignment of tourism facilitation with immigration and border policy, which could create pressure to relax security vetting or documentation requirements to boost visitor flows.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
hotel and hospitality chains; airlines and travel operators; casino and gaming companies