Congress has passed an omnibus spending package that completes the remaining appropriations for fiscal 2012, which began on Oct. 1, 2011, legislators announced this week. The bill, known as the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012, averts a partial government shutdown and, according to the U.S. Travel Association, includes several victories for the travel and tourism industry in the areas of visa reform, U.S. entry and exit system reform, and domestic aviation facilitation reform.
"This legislation is an acknowledgment by Congress that reforms to the U.S. visa and entry systems and passenger screening process are key to improving our nation's economy," said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow. "Clearly, the travel community is being heard, and we applaud Congress for addressing these issues."
Now awaiting a signature from President Barack Obama, the bill cleared the House of Representatives on Dec. 16 and the Senate on Dec. 17. Nine appropriations bills rolled into one, it contains funding for several key initiatives championed this year by the U.S. Travel Association, including:
U.S. Visa System Reform
• Visa Wait Time Reductions: To reduce the number of days applicants must wait before their visa application interview, the bill directs the secretary of state to hire additional consular officers in China, Brazil and India to meet increasing visa demand in the coming years.
• Better Metrics and Long-Term Planning: The bill directs the secretary of state to report on the steps it will take to reduce current visa processing wait times, and to submit a five-year forecast of visa demand in Brazil, China and India. The plan will outline the number of consular officers necessary to meet the State Department's 30-day visa processing standard. Congress also directs the State Department to compare its forecast with the Commerce Department’s visitor projections in order to allow it to produce better long-term plans.
• Extended Visa Expiration Period: The bill directs the State Department to extend expiration periods for leisure or business visas that require a consular officer interview.
• Secure Videoconferencing Technology: The bill allows the secretary of state to develop and conduct a pilot program to conduct visa interviews for leisure and business visas using secure remote videoconferencing technology. With limited consular offices in emerging economies such as Brazil, China and India, the addition of remote secure videoconferencing would allow more citizens to apply for U.S. visas, according to the U.S. Travel Association.
U.S. Entry & Exit System Reform
• Increased Staffing: The bill provides funding to hire an additional 300 new Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers to improve processing of inbound travelers at land border crossings and international U.S. airports.
• More Oversight of Operations: The bill requires CBP to report to Congress on its long-term staffing plans and implementation of key entry reforms such as trusted traveler programs and elimination of unnecessary re-screening of international travelers and baggage.
• Air Exit System: The bill provides $9.4 million to the development of a comprehensive plan for enhancements of a biographic air exit program to bolster security and allow for further expansion of the Visa Waiver Program.
Domestic Aviation Facilitation Reform
• Congressional Reports on Efficiency: The bill requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to submit to Congress reports on passenger and baggage screening efficiency and how its workforce is being deployed at the nation's airports to maintain average wait times below 10 minutes. The bill also encourages TSA to utilize privatized screening where it's cost-effective.
• Trusted Traveler: The bill gives TSA $10 million to implement risk-based screening and to expand known-traveler populations beyond the current PreCheck program.
In 2012, the U.S. Travel Association said, it will "pursue policies on behalf of the travel industry, many of which will create much-needed U.S. jobs and improve the economy." Planned priorities include "legislative vehicles for additional visa system reform, expanding the Visa Waiver Program, enhancing the entry process at ports of entry and improving the efficiency of the U.S. air travel system."