Brand USA’s Budget Crunch and the Bill That Could Restore Funding
Photo Credit: Brand USA’s fall 2025 advertising campaign seen on the side of a London black cab. Skift
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Brand USA has long faced funding challenges. A new bill from bipartisan lawmakers could restore its annual federal funding match back to $100 million.
After Brand USA received a dramatic funding cut earlier this year, a bipartisan group of lawmakers is working to boost funding — at least for the next two years.
Lawmakers pushing to restore the organization’s budget argue that more marketing dollars are critical ahead of major tourism events like the 2026 World Cup, especially after a soft year for inbound tourism.
“I think the bang for the buck that you get for those (marketing) dollars really pays off across the economy, across diverse communities in every state in the nation,” Florida Democrat Representative Kathy Castor told Skift. “I think it's more important than ever to have Brand USA on track, communicating.”
Castor worked with Representative Gus Bilir
