Washington, D.C. – 2012-11-29 — /travelprnews.com/ — The U.S. Travel Association today applauded President Barack Obama for signing into law a bill exempting U.S. airlines from the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme. The European Union Emission Trading Scheme Prohibition Act (S. 1956) protects U.S. air carriers and passengers from the potential for an unprecedented tax levied on them in American and international airspace by the EU.
“The European Union Emissions Trading Scheme will only inhibit business and leisure travel and lead to serious economic consequences as the global economy struggles to recover,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “The U.S. travel industry applauds the bipartisanship shown in support of this important travel legislation.”
Though the EU has postponed enactment of the scheme while the International Civil Aviation Organization considers how to cut airline emissions globally, a number of voices urged passage of the bill. Spearheaded in the Senate by Sen. John Thune (R-SD) and passed by the House on Nov. 13, the bill was signed into law by President Obama today.
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Cathy Keefe 202-408-2183
The U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the travel industry that generates $1.9 trillion in economic output and supports 14.4 million jobs. U.S. Travel’s mission is to increase travel to and within the United States.
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