FREEBIRD Act Fair Removal of Existing and Enforced Bans on Immunization Relating to Destination Act
Impact
This bill represents a significant shift in public health policy regarding foreign travel, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Supporters of SB641 argue that it restores personal freedoms and rectifies what they see as an overreach by health authorities in controlling travel. They believe that the vaccination mandate poses undue restrictions on individuals wishing to enter the United States and that such requirements may have contributed to economic hurdles in the travel industry. As a result, the bill could facilitate greater international travel and collaboration by removing barriers that have affected airlines and tourism.
Summary
SB641, also known as the Fair Removal of Existing and Enforced Bans on Immunization Relating to Destination Act or the FREEBIRD Act, aims to terminate the requirement imposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for proof of COVID-19 vaccination for foreign travelers. The bill intends to make it clear that from the enactment date onward, the vaccination requirement for air travel will no longer have any force. Additionally, the bill prohibits the use of federal funds for the administration or enforcement of this vaccination requirement, effectively eliminating any legal obligations tied to the current mandate.
Contention
Opponents of SB641 have raised concerns regarding public health and safety. They argue that maintaining vaccination requirements, especially in light of ongoing health risks associated with COVID-19, is essential to protect the country's health infrastructure and minimize the spread of the virus. Critics assert that rescinding such requirements might encourage the importation of COVID-19 variants and undermine ongoing public health efforts. Furthermore, there are worries about the implications for public trust in health institutions if guidelines are perceived as politically motivated rather than scientifically grounded.
Additional_provisions
The bill also mandates that within 90 days of enactment, the CDC must report to Congress on the number of individuals denied entry to the U.S. under the previous vaccination order. This reporting requirement is likely intended to provide transparency regarding the impacts of the vaccination mandate previous to the bill's enactment, ensuring Congress can assess the necessity or effectiveness of such measures going forward.
This bill nullifies the order issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention titled Amended Order Implementing Presidential Proclamation on Advancing the Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic 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.) The bill also nullifies any successor or subsequent orders that require foreign persons traveling by air to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of entry and prohibits the use of federal funds to administer or enforce such a requirement.
Relating to the administration of immunizations to children, including required written informed consent to those immunizations and civil liability for failure to obtain the consent; providing an administrative penalty.