Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz is co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation to streamline the visa application process for foreign tourists seeking to visit the United States.

Schatz is co-chair of the Senate Tourism Caucus.

A press releases from the senator’s office said current visa procedures make it unnecessarily difficult for tourists from many countries to visit the United States. The bill, called the Jobs Originated Through Launching Travel Act, would reform the Visa Waiver Program, shorten the waiting time for certain tourist visas and allow for certain tourists to stay in the U.S. for a longer period of time.

“Every new visitor to Hawaii gives us an opportunity to share our culture, strengthen our economy, and support our small businesses,” said Schatz in the released. “In Congress, tourism is an area that has strong bipartisan support so we should work together to do everything we can to attract new visitors and grow the industry. By modernizing and streamlining our visa system, we can expand Hawaii’s international tourism market, improve the visitor experience, and bring a jolt to our local economy.”

While the global travel market is expected to double over the next decade, the United States’ market share of this industry has declined by five percent since the 2000, the release said.