House Republicans will bring legislation to the floor this week that would terminate the requirement imposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for foreign travelers to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter the U.S.
Spearheaded by Rep. Thomas Massie, Kentucky Republican, the bill goes after one of the last remnants of the COVID-19 travel restrictions. It would stop funding to administer, implement or enforce the air travel vaccination requirement or any new CDC requirements for foreigners to prove they got a COVID–19 vaccination before entering the U.S.
Mr. Massie introduced the bill last month with Republican Reps. Mary Miller of Illinois, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania and Bill Posey of Florida.
Republicans introduced a handful of legislation last week to pressure President Biden to officially end COVID-19-related measures. This included legislation titled the Pandemic is Over Act, which passed in a 220-210 party-line vote.
That bill would end the COVID-19 public health emergency on the day it is enacted. Mr. Biden attempted to get ahead of the legislation by announcing a day before the vote that he was lifting the emergency on May 11.
The emergency has been extended 12 times time since it was first implemented in January 2020 under President Trump.
Another bill lawmakers passed largely along party lines would lift the vaccine mandate for healthcare workers at facilities that participate in Medicare or Medicaid.
The CDC did not respond to a request for comment.
These bills are expected to stall in the Democrat-run Senate but will serve the GOP as a political messaging cudgel to go after Democrats in the 2024 campaign season.
For more information, visit The Washington Times COVID-19 resource page.
