Rep. Colleen Hanabusa said in a statement that she’s “extremely grateful” to President Barack Obama for a tourism initiative that is aimed at speeding up the visa process for foreign travelers to visit the United States. 

Obama announced the initiative at Disney World on Thursday. 

“President Obama has given Hawaii an opportunity to reach out to new markets, expand our number one economic driver, and support our economy,” Hanabusa said in a statement.

The congresswoman is among Hawaii delegates who have pushed for the U.S. to address delays in visa applications. Earlier this month, Rep. Mazie Hirono introduced legislation aimed at easing visa requirements for foreign visitors. Hirono’s office also issued a statement on Thursday. 

“As someone who grew up in Hawaii, President Obama clearly understands the importance of tourism,” Hirono said. 

In a conference call with reporters on Thursday, White House officials said that the United States’ share in global tourism dropped from 17 percent to 11 percent between 2000 and 2010, marking a more than 30 percent decline in the country’s share in the global market. 

In addition to announcing details of the initiative, Obama cracked a few Disney-related jokes on Thursday. According to pool reports, Obama said this about the opportunity to meet Mickey Mouse: “It’s always nice to meet a world leader who has bigger ears than me.”