The U.S. Senate yesterday passed the Travel Promotion Act (a companion bill is now in committee in the House) which would impose a $10 fee on those foreign visitors not paying for a visa to enter the United States. U.S. Travel Association CEO Roger Dow said the legislation would help the United States "strengthen its image in the world as visitors leave with an improved perception of our country and her people." Perhaps, but on the front end, the U.S. image perceived by some may be weakening as a result.
The move to repeal the controversial Real ID law hit the U.S. Senate this week when Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI)--along with five other senators--introduced a bill that would replace Real ID with a similar law. The Providing for Additional Security In States' Identification Act of 2009 (PASS ID) would keep the basic idea in place--require states to issue state-issued driver licenses and identification cards with minimum security standards to be used for boarding airplanes and entering federal facilities--but would provide federal funding. PASS ID also tweaks certain aspects and, according to proponents, includes more privacy protections than its predecessor.
The Federal Aviation Administration's efforts toward air traffic control modernization finally are on the right track, at least according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. But the U.S. departments of Homeland Security and Defense still have much work to do.
