On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to end the requirement that most foreign air travellers must be vaccinated against COVID-19. The vote was 227 to 201, with seven Democrats joining Republicans and no Republicans voting against the bill. The Biden administration had previously dropped the negative COVID-19 test requirement in June, but had kept in place the vaccine requirement.
The White House opposed the bill, saying the vaccine requirement “has allowed loved ones across the globe to reunite while reducing the spread of COVID-19 and the burdens it places on the health care system in the United States”. The CDC still recommends that all travellers be vaccinated, and the White House will review the policy in light of the end of the public health emergency on May 11.
Republican Representative Thomas Massie, who introduced the bill to rescind the vaccine requirement, said it was implemented “without congressional oversight or public input”. The U.S. Travel Association welcomed the bill, saying “the need for this requirement has long since passed” and that the U.S. is the only country that maintains this policy.
On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to end the requirement that most foreign air travellers be vaccinated against COVID-19. The vote passed 227 to 201, with seven Democrats joining Republicans and no Republicans voting against the bill. The Biden administration had previously dropped the negative COVID-19 test requirement in June, while retaining the vaccine requirement.
The White House opposed the bill, stating the vaccine requirement “has allowed loved ones across the globe to reunite while reducing the spread of COVID-19 and the burdens it places on the health care system in the United States”. The CDC still recommends that all travellers be vaccinated, and the White House is reviewing the policy in light of the end of the public health emergency on May 11.
Republican Representative Thomas Massie, who introduced the bill to rescind the vaccine requirement, said it was implemented “without congressional oversight or public input”. The U.S. Travel Association welcomed the bill, saying “the need for this requirement has long since passed” and that the U.S. is the only country that maintains this policy.
On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to end the requirement that most foreign air travellers must be vaccinated against COVID-19. The vote passed with a majority of 227 to 201, with seven Democrats joining Republicans in favour, and no Republicans voting against the bill. The Biden administration had previously dropped the negative COVID-19 test requirement in June, while keeping the vaccine requirement in place.
The White House opposed the bill, noting the vaccine requirement “has allowed loved ones across the globe to reunite while reducing the spread of COVID-19 and the burdens it places on the health care system in the United States”. The CDC still recommends that all travellers be vaccinated and the White House is reviewing the policy in light of the end of the public health emergency on May 11.
Republican Representative Thomas Massie, who introduced the bill to rescind the vaccine requirement, said it was implemented “without congressional oversight or public input”. The U.S. Travel Association welcomed the bill, saying “the need for this requirement has long since passed” and that the U.S. is the only country that maintains this policy.
On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to end the requirement that most foreign air travellers must be vaccinated against COVID-19. The vote passed 227 to 201, with seven Democrats joining Republicans and no Republicans voting against the bill. The Biden administration had previously dropped the negative COVID-19 test requirement in June, but kept in place the vaccine requirement.
The White House opposed the bill, saying the vaccine requirement “has allowed loved ones across the globe to reunite while reducing the spread of COVID-19 and the burdens it places on the health care system in the United States”. The CDC still recommends that all travellers be vaccinated, and the White House will review the policy in light of the end of the public health emergency on May 11. Republican Representative Thomas Massie, who introduced the bill to rescind the vaccine requirement, said it was implemented “without congressional oversight or public input”. The U.S. Travel Association welcomed the bill, saying “the need for this requirement has long since passed” and that the U.S. is the only country that maintains this policy.
The House of Representatives' decision to end the foreign air traveller vaccine requirement has caused a debate between the White House and Republican Representative Thomas Massie. The White House believes that the vaccine requirement was necessary to reduce the spread of COVID-19, while Massie argued that it was implemented without congressional oversight