Today, Rep. Larsen (WA-02), Rep. Brady (TX-08), Rep. Crowley (NY-07), Rep. Herger (CA-02) and Rep. Lungren (CA-03) introduced the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) bill to help level the playing field for American business leaders traveling overseas. The ABTC is an initiative in support of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, designed to facilitate commerce by promoting fast and efficient travel of eligible business people and government officials within the APEC region. The ABTC will allow members to use designated travel lanes in airports and get expedited visa processing to help make overseas business travel more efficient.
“We need to make sure we are equipping our business leaders with the tools and resources they need to compete in the global marketplace,” said Rep. Larsen (WA-02). “The APEC Business Travel Card will level the playing field for American business people traveling overseas so they can grow their businesses and help maintain U.S. economic leadership in the world.”
“American businesses that compete in the fast-paced world economy are hamstrung by overly complicated travel restrictions. This legislation streamlines travel to other APEC countries for American business people and will provide American business travelers the same treatment abroad that eligible foreign business travelers receive here in the U.S.” said Rep. Kevin Brady (TX-08).
“This legislation is important to help U.S. businesses compete in Asia, which has become the fastest growing region in the world. We need to correct the disparity in the current system and allow U.S. business travelers the same access to APEC member nations that their citizens receive in the U.S. This will help our businesses get better access to sell U.S. goods and services abroad and create new opportunities for growth and jobs here in our nation,” said Rep. Wally Herger (CA-02).
"Introduction of this legislation is a critical first step in the long-overdue issuance of the APEC Business Travel Card to U.S. business leaders. By issuing a card that would allow U.S. business travelers to take advantage of travel benefits already agreed to by nearly all APEC countries, our government would help facilitate travel in to and within the APEC region. Full participation in the travel card program would end the competitive advantage other APEC countries have in the region and allow American businesses the same benefits as their foreign counterparts," Monica Whaley, President of the National Center for APEC, stated.
The U.S. began participation in the ABTC program as a “transitional member” in 2007. President Bush pledged to begin issuing ABTC’s to American business travelers by 2008. American business travelers are unable to benefit from U.S. entry into the program even though the U.S. has been extending benefits of the ABTC to their foreign competitors and counterparts for almost two years. Until the U.S. establishes a system for issuing ABTCs to qualified U.S. citizens, U.S. businesspeople will continue to be unable to take advantage of this program.
