What This Bill Does
This bill ends the requirement that foreign travelers show proof of COVID-19 vaccination when entering the United States by air or at the Canada-U.S. border. The bill also prevents federal government from spending money to enforce these vaccination requirements going forward.
Who It Affects
Foreign travelers entering the United States by airplane or at land border points between the United States and Canada, including ferry terminals.
Key Provisions
• The air travel vaccination requirement for foreign travelers stops working and has no legal power immediately when this law takes effect (Sec. 2(a))
• No federal money can be used to administer, carry out or enforce the air travel vaccination requirement for foreign travelers starting immediately upon enactment (Sec. 2(b))
• The vaccination requirement for foreign travelers at United States-Canada land border points and ferry terminals stops working and has no legal power immediately when this law takes effect (Sec. 3(a))
• No federal money can be used to administer, carry out or enforce the vaccination requirement for foreign travelers at land border points and ferry terminals along the United States-Canada border starting immediately upon enactment (Sec. 3(b))
What Changes
Foreign travelers will no longer need to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter the United States by air or at the United States-Canada border. The federal government cannot spend money enforcing vaccination requirements for these travelers.
Important Definitions
The bill refers to specific government orders and decisions from 2022 that established these vaccination requirements, but does not provide separate plain-language definitions.
Effective Date
The date of enactment of this Act (the date the bill becomes law).
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 455
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.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
FEBRUARY 15, 2023
Mr. MARSHALL (for himself, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. LEE, and Mr. BRAUN) intro-
duced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Com-
mittee 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.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Travel Freedom Act’’.
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•S 455 IS
SEC. 2. TERMINATING CDC REQUIREMENT FOR PROOF OF
1
COVID–19 VACCINATION FOR FOREIGN TRAV-
2
ELERS.
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(a) IN GENERAL.—Beginning on the date of the en-
4
actment of this Act, the air travel vaccination requirement
5
for foreign travelers shall have no force or effect.
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(b) PROHIBITION ON FUNDING.—Beginning on the
7
date of the enactment of this Act, no Federal funds may
8
be used to administer, implement, or enforce the air travel
9
vaccination requirement for foreign travelers.
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(c) AIR TRAVEL VACCINATION REQUIREMENT FOR
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FOREIGN TRAVELERS.—In this section, the term ‘‘air
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travel vaccination requirement for foreign travelers’’ refers
13
to the requirement specified in—
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(1) the order issued by the Director of the Cen-
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ters for Disease Control and Prevention entitled
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‘‘Amended Order Implementing Presidential Procla-
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mation on Advancing the Safe Resumption of Global
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Travel During the COVID–19 Pandemic’’ and pub-
19
lished in the Federal Register on April 7, 2022 (87
20
Fed. Reg. 20405 et seq.) for proof of COVID–19
21
vaccination for air travelers who are covered individ-
22
uals (as defined in such order); or
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(2) any successor or subsequent order of the
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requir-
25
ing foreign persons traveling by air to show proof of
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•S 455 IS
COVID–19 vaccination as a condition on entering
1
the United States.
2
SEC. 3. TERMINATING REQUIREMENT FOR PROOF OF
3
COVID–19 VACCINATION FOR FOREIGN PER-
4
SONS ENTERING ALONG UNITED STATES-
5
CANADA BORDER.
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(a) IN GENERAL.—Beginning on the date of the en-
7
actment of this Act, the vaccination requirement for proc-
8
essing foreign travelers entering at land points of entry,
9
including ferry terminals, along the United States-Canada
10
border shall have no force or effect.
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(b) PROHIBITION ON FUNDING.—Beginning on the
12
date of the enactment of this Act, no Federal funds may
13
be used to administer, implement, or enforce the vaccina-
14
tion requirement for processing foreign travelers entering
15
at land points of entry, including ferry terminals, along
16
the United States-Canada border.
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(c) VACCINATION
REQUIREMENT
FOR
FOREIGN
18
TRAVELERS ENTERING ALONG
THE UNITED STATES-
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CANADA BORDER.—In this section, the term ‘‘vaccination
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requirement for processing foreign travelers entering at
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land points of entry, including ferry terminals, along the
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United States-Canada border’’ refers to the requirement
23
specified in—
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•S 455 IS
(1) the decision issued by the Secretary of
1
Homeland Security and the Commissioner for U.S.
2
Customs and Border Protection entitled ‘‘Notifica-
3
tion of Temporary Travel Restrictions Applicable to
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Land Ports of Entry and Ferries Service Between
5
the United States and Canada’’ and published in the
6
Federal Register on April 22, 2022 (87 Fed. Reg.
7
24048 et seq.) for proof of COVID–19 vaccination
8
for travelers who are covered individuals (as defined
9
in such order); or
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(2) any successor or subsequent order of the
11
Secretary of Homeland Security or the Commis-
12
sioner for U.S. Customs and Border Protection for
13
the processing for entry into the United States for-
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eign persons to show proof of COVID–19 vaccina-
15
tion as a condition on entering the United States,
16
unless determined necessary by Congress.
17
Æ
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