Brand USA Funding Would be Slashed by 80% in Senate Republican Proposal

Ever since its creation in 2010 to be the country's destination marketing organization, Brand USA has faced potential cuts and even threats of elimination.

A U.S. Senate committee has proposed cutting Brand USA’s annual funding from $100 million to just $20 million — a severe cut that, if it became law, would drastically limit the organization’s ability to promote the U.S. as a travel destination.

The proposal, released Thursday by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation and chaired by Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, is part of the budget reconciliation process.

"That will have very severe ramifications for what Brand USA will be able to do and not do," said a source close to Brand USA. "A cut like that essentially eliminates all ability for advertising globally."

The $80 million funding cut, which would trigger a similar cut in matching contributions from the travel industry, would limit the ability of Brand USA to carry out marketing campaigns internationally, and would lead to severe chops to staffing and operations. In addition to Washington, D.C., Brand