PRESS RELEASE

August 10, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Debra Kelman Loew
212.794-3577

DELAY OF BIOMETRIC PASSPORT REGULATION SIGNED INTO LAW

Travel Business Roundtable Applauds Deadline Extension

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Travel Business Roundtable  (TBR) celebrated a significant victory yesterday as President Bush signed into law H.R. 4417, legislation recently passed by Congress to extend the October 26, 2004 deadline by one year for people traveling under the Visa Waiver Program to have passports that contain biometric identifiers to enter the U.S.

While TBR is supportive of the homeland security intent of the law, the delay will help ensure that the affected countries have time to put the appropriate technology in place to comply with the requirement.  TBR and other industry organizations had been at the forefront of efforts to secure the extension in order to stave off a decline in international travel from the 27 VWP countries.

TBR also had praise for House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee Chairman Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT), and Senate Assistant Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), all of whom worked tirelessly to help clear the bill for passage in Congress earlier this summer.

“This is a significant accomplishment for the travel and tourism industry as it will help ensure that travelers from VWP countries who planned to visit the U.S. this fall don't cancel their plans to come here whether for business or pleasure," notes Jonathan Tisch, Chairman of TBR and Chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels.  "We are grateful to not only leaders in both the House and Senate who championed passage of this legislation, but also to the Bush Administration, which supported this extension with the understanding that it could have a serious impact on the economy without some kind of action."

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