FREEBIRD Act

S 641, the FREEBIRD Act, ends the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requirement that foreign air travelers show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter the United States. The bill immediately terminates this rule upon enactment and prohibits federal funding for its administration or enforcement. It requires the CDC to report, within 90 days, how many travelers were denied entry under the previous vaccination rule between April 2022 and the bill’s enactment. The Act does not affect other travel rules, such as the separate requirement for negative COVID-19 test results for travelers from China.