Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards Act of 2017

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on October 23, 2017. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards Act of 2017

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to issue an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card (ABT Card) to an individual who: (1) is a U.S. citizen, (2) has been approved and is in good standing in an existing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) international trusted traveler program, and (3) is engaged in business in the Asia-Pacific region or is a U.S. government official engaged in Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation business.

The bill: (1) transfers card program authority from the the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards Act of 2011 (APECBTC Act) to the Homeland Security Act of 2002; and (2) makes the program, which is scheduled to end on September 30, 2018, permanent.

The CBP shall: (1) integrate application procedures for, and issuance, renewal, and revocation of, ABT cards with existing DHS international trusted traveler programs; (2) prescribe and collect a fee for card issuance and renewal, and (3) notify Congress if card program expenditures exceed collected amounts.

The bill establishes in the Treasury an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card Account (Account).

(Sec. 3) Amounts in the travel card account under the APECBTC Act are transferred to the Account and shall be available for expenses incurred with any card, and such Act is repealed. A card issued pursuant to such Act before the date of enactment of this bill shall remain valid until it expires.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov