A group of lawmakers have forwarded correspondence to President Joe Biden, encouraging efforts allowing vaccinated Canadians to travel to the U.S. through land ports of entry.
“As Senators who represent states along the northern border, our communities have been deeply affected by the restrictions on travel,” the legislators wrote. “Many of our communities maintain close professional and personal ties with communities in Canada. Canadians come to our states to conduct business, enjoy recreational opportunities, buy goods, and visit friends and family. The restrictions on non-essential travel across the border have greatly curtailed these activities and led to economic and emotional strain in our communities.”
Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Angus King (I-ME), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Gary Peters (D-MI), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Jon Tester (D-MT) signed the letter.
“We appreciate the need to prioritize the health and safety of the American public through reasonable restrictions on international travel,” the lawmakers concluded. “However, we believe that fully vaccinated Canadians should be allowed to safely travel into the United States via land ports of entry. We urge you to lift these restrictions before October, provide a plan for reopening land ports of entry and appoint an interagency lead on U.S.-Canadian border restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.”