PAUSE Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.471 | Sponsor: Rep. Herrell, Yvette (R-NM)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Protecting Americans from Unnecessary Spread upon Entry from COVID-19 Act of 2021 or the PAUSE Act of 2021
This bill maintains immigration restrictions put in place under public health emergency authorities to prevent the introduction of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) from foreign countries.
Specifically, the bill prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services from rescinding or reducing the stringency of the restrictions. It also prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from stopping or reducing enforcement of the restrictions. These prohibitions remain in effect until (1) federal and state COVID-19 emergency orders are lifted, and (2) the risk of introducing COVID-19 in or from Canada and Mexico is minimal.

To prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from lessening 
 the stringency of, and to prohibit the Secretary of Homeland Security 
from ceasing or lessening implementation of, the COVID-19 border health 
  provisions through the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Americans from 
Unnecessary Spread upon Entry from COVID-19 Act of 2021'' or the 
``PAUSE Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. MAINTAINING THE STRINGENCY OF COVID-19 BORDER HEALTH PROVISIONS 
              THROUGH THE END OF THE PANDEMIC.

    (a) HHS.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall not 
remove, or lessen the stringency of, the COVID-19 border health 
provisions unless and until--
            (1) the public health emergency declared for COVID-19 under 
        section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d), 
        including renewals thereof, is no longer in effect;
            (2) the public health emergencies declared for COVID-19 by 
        all States, including renewals thereof, are no longer in 
        effect; and
            (3) the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and 
        Prevention reduces the travelers' health risk level for 
        introducing, transmitting, and spreading COVID-19 in or from 
        Canada and Mexico to Level 1.
    (b) Homeland Security.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
not cease or lessen the implementation of the COVID-19 border health 
provisions unless and until each of the conditions listed in subsection 
(a) is met.
    (c) Definition.--In this section, the term ``COVID-19 border health 
provisions'' means the restrictions established under part G of title 
III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 264 et seq.; relating 
to quarantine and inspection) to prevent the introduction, 
transmission, or spread of COVID-19 from one or more foreign countries 
into the United States, including the order titled ``Order under 
Section 362 & 365 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
Sec. Sec.  265, 268): Order Suspending the Right To Introduce Certain 
Persons from Countries Where a Quarantinable Communicable Disease 
Exists'' issued by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention on October 13, 2020.
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