Congress Passes APEC Travel Card Bill, Now Goes to President
On November 4, 2011, the House passed S. 1487, a bill to authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to establish a program to issue Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards, and for other purposes. Since the Senate passed the same version of S. 1487 on November 3, 2011, the bill now goes to the President.
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According to a press release from Senator Inouye, one of the bill's co-sponsors, the APEC business card program is recognized by all 21 APEC nations, but only 18 nations currently issue the travel cards to their eligible passport holders (3 nations, the U.S., Russia, and Canada, currently do not). As a transitional member of the program, the U.S. currently recognizes foreign-issued cards but does not issue them to U.S. passport holders. S. 1487 would allow U.S. passport holders to participate in the program and enjoy the same expedited travel benefits that travelers in the 18 other participating countries currently enjoy.
Bill Would Allow Fee to be Charged, Integration with Other Traveler Programs
Among other things, S. 1487 would (partial list):
- for a seven year period ending September 30, 2018, authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary), in coordination with the Secretary of State, to issue APEC Business Travel Cards (ABT cards) to any eligible person, including business leaders and U.S. government officials who are actively engaged in APEC business;
- prohibit an individual from receiving an ABT card under the program unless the individual has been approved and is in good standing in a DHS international trusted traveler program;
- allow the Secretary to integrate application procedures for, and issuance, suspension, and revocation of, ABT cards with other appropriate DHS international trusted traveler programs; and
- allow the Secretary to prescribe, collect, and adjust a fee for the issuance of ABT cards.
Other House-Passed APEC Business Card Bill Contained Less Flexibility, Etc.
H.R. 2042, another APEC business card bill, was passed by the House on October 25, 2011, but received no action in the Senate. H.R. 2042 would have required an APEC business card program be established and that it be integrated with other DHS registered traveler programs. It would also have authorized the private sector issuance of such cards. (See ITT’s Online Archives 11102714 for summary of H.R. 2042.)
Senator Inouye’s press release available here