Travel Promotion Act Of 2009

Floor Speech

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Mr. KAUFMAN. Madam President, I rise today to draw attention to our efforts on the Tourism Promotion Act of 2009 and, specifically, to focus on my small State of Delaware.

Coming to Delaware, the ``First State,'' one is treated to a myriad range of great tourist attractions from arts and culture, to sports and gaming, from marvelous recreation to dozens of fairs and festivals.

In the area of arts and culture, Delaware boasts such notable stops as the Nemours Gardens and mansion, the home of Alfred I. DuPont and the now world famous DuPont Children's Hospital.

Visitors can also tour the beautiful Bellevue State Park, the Delaware Art Museum, or even see a show at the DuPont Theater at the Hotel DuPont in Wilmington.

The State of Delaware, the first State to ratify the Constitution, also has significant historical sites for tourists to enjoy.

Visitors can view the birthplace of the DuPont Company at Delaware's Hagley Museum and Gardens. The luxurious, 100-room home of Henry Francis DuPont is also open to the public at Winterthur Museums and Gardens.

Since Delaware was one of the original 13 colonies, we are proud to boast several pre-Revolutionary War historical sites. The Amstel House and the John Dickinson Mansion and Plantation can offer visitors a rare insight into life before the Revolution.

Our Constitution Park offers a tribute to our ratification of the Constitution, made even more significant by the fact that Delaware was the first State to do so.

Civil War buffs can visit Fort Delaware, where Confederate prisoners of war were interned, while those interested in more contemporary military history can visit the Dover Air Force Base's Air Mobility Command Museum.

Delaware's sports and gaming opportunities are nearly limitless.

The Dover Downs Hotel and Casino combines luxury and entertainment for its guests. The Delaware Park Race Track also offers excitement for its customers with slots and horse racing.

NASCAR fans will love the Dover International Speedway, the famous ``Monster Mile,'' where official NASCAR races are held several times each year.

Delaware may not boast any Major League sports teams but we are very proud of our Minor League baseball team, the Wilmington Blue Rocks.

Our Blue Rocks fans are some of the most loyal in the country and a night out to watch them play promises fun for the entire family. For golf enthusiasts who do not want to lose their skills while on vacation, Delaware has excellent golf courses where strokes can be refined and perfected.

Delaware's outdoor attractions are also world class. Killen's Pond, a State park since 1965, features a beautiful 66-acre millpond where visitors can enjoy boating and fishing.

Delaware's greatest strength in the outdoors realm, however, is our beautiful beaches. These beaches stretch for miles and offer ample opportunity for fun on the shore and ocean. If you get enough of sand and surf, the boardwalk presents a wide variety of shops, restaurants, and entertainment to visitors. Some of Delaware's best, and tax-free, shopping can be found on the boardwalk.

Our various fairs help celebrate who we are as Delawareans and also offer entertainment.

The Delaware State Fair features concerts, with famous artists alongside rising local bands. It also provides a carnival atmosphere and numerous agricultural and livestock events.

The Saint Anthony's Italian Festival, which Vice President Biden and I enjoyed just over a week ago, is a favorite among Delaware residents. Its food and entertainment always draws large crowds, and it is actually one of the largest ethnic festivals on the east coast.

Other ethnic festivals that Delaware celebrates include an African-American festival, an Indian festival, and a Greek festival, and many more.

In other words, something for just about everyone.

Those who enjoy theatrics can come to Delaware's Shakespeare Festival, where talented actors show their appreciation for Shakespeare by performing various scenes from his many plays.

The Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival offers movie lovers a chance to view excellent films that they wouldn't get a chance to see in theaters.

Delaware also boasts six wineries, including the award winning Nassau Valley, where visitors can enjoy excellent wine in a pleasant atmosphere.

So you can see Delaware is truly a place where folks from all across the country can come for fun and excitement in a ``small but plentiful'' tourist haven.

And I know that Delaware is not alone. All 50 States, and all the territories, offer something special, and I believe we should do everything we can to spread that message.

That is why I am glad to be a cosponsor of the Tourism Promotion Act. Obviously, I hope it will help remind people across the world what Delaware can offer, but I believe it will help promote travel across the country.

We have heard the statistics. International travel is booming, 48 million more international trips last year than in 2000 but the United States is not sharing in that bounty. In fact, we lost travelers over that same time period.

An estimate I saw says that if we had merely kept pace with the expansion of international travel, we would have seen 58 million more travelers since 2000. That would mean nearly 250,000 more jobs.

In today's economy, we could sure use that help.

However, I cannot leave the floor without commenting on another great State for tourism; that is, the State of the Presiding Officer, the State of North Carolina. I spent this weekend in North Carolina. I encourage North Carolina to anyone who is looking for a wonderful place to go for a vacation.

I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum and ask unanimous consent that the time be equally divided.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk will call the roll.

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