AMERICAN MUSIC TOURISM ACT OF 2025

On 2026-09-15, Representative Diana Harshbarger (R-TN-1) delivered a floor speech titled "AMERICAN MUSIC TOURISM ACT OF 2025" in the House.

AMERICAN MUSIC TOURISM ACT OF 2025

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 145 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 145 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026)] [House] [Page H5670] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] AMERICAN MUSIC TOURISM ACT OF 2025 Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 195) to amend the Visit America Act to promote music tourism, and for other purposes. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: S. 195 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 `COVID-19 public health emergency'--'' and inserting the following: ``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 tourism' means-- ``(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.''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) and the gentlewoman from Texas (Mrs. Fletcher) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky. General Leave Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on S. 195. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Kentucky? There was no objection. Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today to speak in support of S. 195, the America Music Tourism Act of 2025. Music is one of the truest expressions of who we are as a country. It is part of the fabric of American life in every region and in every community. This bill simply directs the Department of Commerce to do what it already does for other forms of tourism: to build a plan to promote it and keep Congress informed. It asks for no new taxpayer dollars. It creates no new bureaucracy. It just puts music tourism on the same level of other national attractions. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mrs. FLETCHER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise to speak in support of S. 195, the American Music Tourism Act of 2025. Americans are fortunate to have a rich musical heritage. Across the country, there are countless venues where gifted musicians perform, attracting millions of people from around the country and around the world. Visitors come to see an artist they love or for the chance to stand where a famous musician got their start. No matter how far they have traveled, these tourists are spending money and enhancing our local economies by supporting jobs and artists. I am pleased to support the American Music Tourism Act of 2025. This bill charges the National Travel and Tourism office with promoting domestic and international travel and tourism to U.S. music venues. Promoting tourism to music venues will directly benefit local economies. When tourists travel for music events, they drive an increase in hospitality spending in local communities. This bill will enhance the economic benefits venues bring to our local economies by creating jobs, supporting small businesses, and championing our music industry. I thank Representative Barragan for her leadership on this legislation, and I encourage my colleagues to support it. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Harshbarger), who has worked tirelessly on this legislation. It is appropriate today she represents the community from which Ms. Dolly Parton was born. Mrs. HARSHBARGER. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the American Music Tourism Act of 2025. It is bipartisan legislation that I have had the privilege of leading in the House alongside my colleague from California, Congresswoman Barragan, and our partner in the Senate, Senator Blackburn. Whether it is Dolly Parton or Morgan Wallen, they have got a storied history colored by many country music icons. From Dollywood in Pigeon Forge to the birthplace of country music in Bristol, Tennessee, east Tennessee does play a vital role in our Nation's music tourism industry. That story is true in communities across the country, from Nashville to Los Angeles and everywhere in between. {time} 1850 This bill simply directs the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism to implement a plan to grow music tourism for domestic and international visitors and to report back to Congress on that progress. It is a commonsense, bipartisan idea, and I note for my colleagues that it will not cost taxpayers one additional dollar to implement. Madam Speaker, the House already passed this bill with overwhelming bipartisan support in April. The Senate now has done the same, and this is about as close to the finish line as legislation gets. I am proud of the work that our two Chambers have done together to get us there. I thank again Congresswoman Barragan and Senator Blackburn for their partnership in helping carry this legislation forward. Madam Speaker, let's finish the job. Let's send this bill to the President's desk and give America's music communities the recognition and support they have earned. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. Mrs. FLETCHER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, I think this is an important bill. I appreciate the representation. I think there is probably nothing that we have seen more in the last few weeks that has united Americans in every corner of the country, on both sides of the aisle and everywhere in between, than our appreciation and love for Dolly Parton. Madam Speaker, I am proud to support this bill. I look forward to voting in favor of it, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, my friend mentioned the music coming out of her beloved mountains of Kentucky, such as Chris Stapleton, Loretta Lynn, Dwight Yoakam, and Keith Whitley. I could go on and on. Madam Speaker, people from our Appalachia area call my area flatland. Flatlanders have bluegrass music. Bluegrass music came from my district. Bill Monroe is from Jerusalem Ridge in Ohio County, and the International Bluegrass Museum and Hall of Fame is in Owensboro, Kentucky. Hopefully, once we get this plan from the Department of Commerce, we will have opportunities for these venues and the Tennessee mountains, Kentucky flatlands, all over, to show what they can do in music. Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote for this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time. T

Referenced legislation: S195, S195