Should Congress remove the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for foreign travelers?

This bill has Passed the House of Representatives
Bill Summary

This bill seeks to terminate the proof of COVID-19 vaccination that is required for foreign travelers. All federal funding is to be cut for the purposes of enforcing, administering, and passing future policies related to mandated vaccines in the future. Sponsor: Rep Thomas Massie (Republican, Kentucky, District 4)
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Opponents say

  "While COVID-19 is no longer the disruptive threat that it once was, the Administration opposes Congressional action to reverse the vaccination requirement for noncitizen nonimmigrants entering the United States by air. This policy has allowed loved ones across the globe to reunite while reducing the spread of COVID-19 and the burdens it places on the health care system in the United States. The Administration has the authority to place restrictions on the entry of noncitizens to the United States, and prior Administrations have done so for decades in a number of contexts. In October 2021, the President issued Proclamation 10294, Advancing the Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic. This Proclamation rescinded the country-by-country restrictions that had previously applied during the COVID-19 pandemic and replaced those restrictions with a global air travel policy that relied primarily on vaccination to ensure that international air travel to the United States could resume safely. The President issued this Proclamation based on advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As we approach the end of the public health emergency, the Administration will review all relevant policies, including this one. Just as the establishment of this public health policy was guided by science, any termination or modification of this policy should be as well. A vote for this bill undercuts that critical principle." Source: OMB

Proponents say

  "If you watched C-SPAN last week, you saw 434 Members of Congress gathered in the Capitol screaming, yelling, cheering, and speaking. Many of these members are unvaccinated, and many haven't taken boosters. So, why do we subject visitors who want to see their families to this COVID-19 double standard? The CDC's unscientific mandate is separating too many people from their families and has been doing so for far too long. It needs to end." Source: Rep. Massie (Republican, Kentucky, District 4) 


  "We have long supported the removal of this requirement and see no reason to wait until the May expiration of the public health emergency—particularly as potential visitors are planning spring and summer travel. Every day this policy remains in place encourages some travelers to avoid the U.S., costing us valuable visitor spending and delaying our efforts to reignite inbound travel. The U.S. is the only country that still has this requirement for international visitors when there is no longer any public health justification. We thank the bill’s sponsors for their efforts to remove this outdated, Covid-era policy and normalize inbound travel operations." Source: Tori Emerson Barnes (US Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs)