U.S. senators push Biden to lift border closure with Canada
CBC
Four U.S. senators on Friday asked President Joe Biden to lift restrictions that have barred travel by Canadians across the northern U.S. border since March 2020.
Democratic Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Jon Tester of Montana and independent Angus King of Maine asked Biden to allow Canadians vaccinated against COVID-19 to travel to the United States before October.
The border state senators said in a letter the restrictions have led to "economic and emotional strain in our communities."
The senators added: "A plan with some indication of when your administration would feel comfortable lifting border restrictions based on public health data would provide clarity to businesses and families along the northern border."
They also noted that Canadians can fly to the United States. "We struggle to understand the public health rationale for the disparate treatment in modes of travel," the senators wrote.
The White House did not immediately comment on Friday, but White House coronavirus response co-ordinator Jeff Zients said on Wednesday that given the delta variant of the coronavirus, "we will maintain the existing travel restrictions at this point."
U.S. officials and travel industry executives say the White House is set to renew the restrictions before the latest extension expires on Sept. 21.
