Travel Freedom Act

Bill: 118-s-455
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Marshall, Roger [R-KS]
Introduced: 2023-02-15
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures

Aviation and airports

Cardiovascular and respiratory health

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Department of Homeland Security

Immunology and vaccination

Infectious and parasitic diseases

Travel and tourism
Latest action: action_date: 2023-02-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-02-15
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Travel Freedom Act</b></p> <p>This bill nullifies certain orders issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that restrict noncitizens from entering the United States if they are not full vaccinated against COVID-19.</p> <p>Specifically, the bill nullifies the CDC order titled <i>Amended Order Implementing Presidential Proclamation on Advancing the Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic</i> and published on April 7, 2022. (The order restricts the entry of noncitizens who are not immigrants into the United States by air travel unless they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or otherwise attest that they will take public health measures to prevent the spread of the disease.)</p> <p>Additionally, the bill nullifies the DHS order titled <i>Notification of Temporary Travel Restrictions Applicable to Land Ports of Entry and Ferries Services Between the United States and Canada</i> and published on April 22, 2022. (The order restricts the entry of noncitizens who are not immigrants along the United States-Canada border, including at ferry terminals, unless they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and can provide proof upon request.)</p> <p>The bill also nullifies any successor or subsequent orders that require proof of a COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of entry into the United States and prohibits the use of federal funds to administer or enforce such requirements.</p>

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 455 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 15, 2023 Mr. Marshall (for himself, Mr. Cramer , Mr. Lee , and Mr. Braun ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To terminate the requirement imposed by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for proof of COVID–19 vaccination for foreign travelers, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Travel Freedom Act . 2. Terminating CDC requirement for proof of COVID–19 vaccination for foreign travelers (a) In general Beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the air travel vaccination requirement for foreign travelers shall have no force or effect. (b) Prohibition on funding Beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, no Federal funds may be used to administer, implement, or enforce the air travel vaccination requirement for foreign travelers. (c) Air travel vaccination requirement for foreign travelers In this section, the term air travel vaccination requirement for foreign travelers refers to the requirement specified in— (1) the order issued by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention entitled Amended Order Implementing Presidential Proclamation on Advancing the Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the COVID–19 Pandemic and published in the Federal Register on April 7, 2022 (87 Fed. Reg. 20405 et seq.) for proof of COVID–19 vaccination for air travelers who are covered individuals (as defined in such order); or (2) any successor or subsequent order of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requiring foreign persons traveling by air to show proof of COVID–19 vaccination as a condition on entering the United States. 3. Terminating requirement for proof of COVID–19 vaccination for foreign persons entering along United States-Canada border (a) In general Beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the vaccination requirement for processing foreign travelers entering at land points of entry, including ferry terminals, along the United States-Canada border shall have no force or effect. (b) Prohibition on funding Beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, no Federal funds may be used to administer, implement, or enforce the vaccination requirement for processing foreign travelers entering at land points of entry, including ferry terminals, along the United States-Canada border. (c) Vaccination requirement for foreign travelers entering along the United States-Canada border In this section, the term vaccination requirement for processing foreign travelers entering at land points of entry, including ferry terminals, along the United States-Canada border refers to the requirement specified in— (1) the decision issued by the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Commissioner for U.S. Customs and Border Protection entitled Notification of Temporary Travel Restrictions Applicable to Land Ports of Entry and Ferries Service Between the United States and Canada and published in the Federal Register on April 22, 2022 (87 Fed. Reg. 24048 et seq.) for proof of COVID–19 vaccination for travelers who are covered individuals (as defined in such order); or (2) any successor or subsequent order of the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Commissioner for U.S. Customs and Border Protection for the processing for entry into the United States foreign persons to show proof of COVID–19 vaccination as a condition on entering the United States, unless determined necessary by Congress.