PAUSE Act of 2022

Bill: 117-s-4088
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]
Introduced: 2022-04-26
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Border security and unlawful immigration

Cardiovascular and respiratory health

Emergency medical services and trauma care

Health promotion and preventive care

Immigration status and procedures

Infectious and parasitic diseases

Travel and tourism
Latest action: action_date: 2022-04-27
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 356.

Summaries:
action_date: 2022-04-26
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Protecting Americans from Unnecessary Spread upon Entry from COVID-19 Act of 2022 or the PAUSE Act of 2022</b></p> <p>This bill maintains immigration restrictions put in place under public health emergency authorities to prevent the introduction of COVID-19 from foreign countries.</p> <p>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.</p>

tv_txt: II Calendar No. 356 117th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4088 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 26, 2022 Mr. Cruz introduced the following bill; which was read the first time April 27, 2022 Read the second time and placed on the calendar A BILL 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Protecting Americans from Unnecessary Spread upon Entry from COVID–19 Act of 2022 or the PAUSE Act of 2022 . 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for COVID–19 under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 247d ), including renewals thereof, is no longer in effect; (2) the public health emergencies declared for COVID–19 by all States, including renewals thereof, are no longer in effect; and (3) the Director of the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 Sections 362 & 365 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 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.

April 27, 2022 Read the second time and placed on the calendar