U.S. Travel Association Applauds Homeland Security Nomination

airport securityPresident Obama's nomination of Jeh Johnson as the next Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) won the approval of the U.S. Travel Association. The DHS includes the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Coast Guard and plays an important part in supporting the U.S. travel economy, the association notes.

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U.S. Travel President and CEO Roger Dow said: "The Homeland Security Secretary has major responsibility in improving the safety and efficiency of travel in the United States. Security and travel are not mutually exclusive, and our hope is that Mr. Johnson will bring a balanced appreciation for the role that each plays in facilitating the travel process. In recent years, tremendous strides were made in strengthening travel security and expanding vital programs that preserved travel as a key driver of U.S. economic recovery. We look forward to continuing this progress with the next Secretary."

Related issues of priority for U.S. Travel include advancing the JOLT Act (H.R. 1354) to increase international travel to the United States; providing greater resources to CBP to improve the entry process; and expanding trusted traveler programs like PreCheck and Global Entry. 

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Janet Napolitano who held the post resigned to head the University of California system. Napolitano is the first woman to serve as the DHS Secretary.

Travel is America's No.1 services export, and the travel industry has added jobs faster than the rest of the economy since the U.S. economic recovery began in 2010. Decisions made by the Secretary impact the nearly 15 million American workers whose jobs depend on travel, the association notes.

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