Northern Border Reopening Transparency Act
Bill: H.R.3770 | Sponsor: Rep. Jacobs, Chris (R-NY)
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Northern Border Reopening Transparency Act
This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to submit a report on considerations relating to easing restrictions on or reopening the United States-Canada border to essential and nonessential travel.

To require a report on easing restrictions on or reopening the United 
  States-Canada border to essential and non-essential travel, 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 ``Northern Border Reopening 
Transparency Act''.

SEC. 2. REPORT ON EASING RESTRICTIONS ON OR REOPENING THE UNITED 
              STATES-CANADA BORDER TO ESSENTIAL AND NON-ESSENTIAL 
              TRAVEL.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in 
consultation with the Secretary of State and the Director of the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the Department of Health 
and Human Services, shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security 
and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the 
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report on considerations 
relating to easing restrictions on or reopening the United States-
Canada border to essential and non-essential travel, including 
information relating to any correspondence or communications between 
the Department of Homeland Security and--
            (1) the Department of State;
            (2) any other Federal department or agency; and
            (3) counterparts of the Government of Canada.
    (b) Additional Matters.--The report required under subsection (a) 
shall also include information relating to--
            (1) the report required pursuant to the January 21, 2021, 
        Executive Order on ``Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and 
        International Travel'', in which President Biden directed 
        members of the Cabinet to submit within 14 days a plan to 
        implement appropriate public health measures at land ports of 
        entry; and
            (2) the Department of Homeland Security's deliberations and 
        input regarding easing restrictions on or reopening the United 
        States-Canada border, including relating to--
                    (A) establishment of a bilateral plan for restoring 
                travel between the United States and Canada;
                    (B) consideration of a family travel exemption for 
                the United States similar to what has been implemented 
                in Canada;
                    (C) policies for property owners to travel to 
                Canada;
                    (D) ensuring reasonable transit for United States 
                citizens and Canadian citizens through United States-
                Canada boundary waters; and
                    (E) unilaterally so easing or reopening such 
                border.
    (c) Exception.--This section shall not apply if before the date 
specified in subsection (a) the United States-Canada border is reopened 
and functioning in the same manner and to the same extent as such 
border was open prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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