Washington, D.C. — Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) delivered the following remarks on the House Floor during debate on H.R. 185, a bill to end the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for people traveling to the United States.

Excerpts and highlights below:

MOVING AMERICA BACK TO NORMAL

“I rise today in support of H.R. 185, which provides another opportunity to recognize COVID-19 is an endemic and move our country back to normal.

“Last week, we had a couple of bills dealing with COVID—one vaccine mandate for health care workers, which is the only CMS vaccine mandated for health care workers—and my bill to declare the emergency over.

“President Biden actually did announce that the emergency is going to be over on May 11, so we have a lot of work to do moving forward.

“Now we move forward to ask for support for HR 185, which provides another opportunity for us to move our country back to normal.”

REPEALING AN OUT OF TOUCH POLICY

“H.R. 185, introduced by Mr. Massie, a Member of the Rules Committee and a fellow Kentuckian, would finally put an end to the CDC’s requirement for international travelers to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination before entering the United States through air—through flying to this country.

“The bill would also prevent the CDC from implementing any similar mandates to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter the United States through air.

“This policy is out of touch with the rest of the world.

“The U.S. is the only country in North America with this requirement, and most other countries have no testing or vaccination requirements at all.

“Also, the Biden administration fails to provide exceptions for religious or moral reasons.

“As with other vaccine mandates, this requirement will not end on May 11, and thus far, the administration has not indicated any plans to change it.

“It is long past due to end this mandate.

“Doing so will align the United States with the rest of North America’s COVID-19 vaccine policy for people coming into the country and recognize COVID-19 is an endemic—rather than a pandemic.

“Further, this will serve as an important check-and-balance against President Biden’s overreaching polices by requiring the President to come to Congress in order to enact similar policies in the future.”