House votes to end COVID vaccine requirement for foreign air travelers

The House of Representatives voted to end the COVID-19 vaccine requirement for foreign residents arriving at US airports — one of the last standing pandemic restrictions.

A bipartisan group of representatives voted 227 to 201 Wednesday in support of a bill to end the requirement. Every Republican supported the legislation as well as seven Democrats.

Nearly all adults visiting the US who aren’t citizens or permanent residents must show proof of vaccination before boarding their flight under the current Biden administration regulations.

In June, the administration dropped the prerequisite that travelers arriving in the US by air need a negative COVID test to enter the country, but the CDC vaccine mandate remains.

The US is the only country that has kept the policy, according to the US Travel Association

“The need for this requirement has long since passed, and we appreciate the bipartisan action by the US House to end this outdated police,” the organization said.

The White House, however, said it’s opposed to the bill on Tuesday. The lasting 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 administration said.

It’s not clear if the Senate will take up the bill, introduced by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie.

The White House added that it will review the policy when the Biden administration ends the COVID public health emergency — planned for May 11.

Vaccines continue to be the most important weapon in the fight against COVID-19, the CDC said.

With Post wires