White House discusses vaccines for air travel

The Biden administration faces an internal debate over whether to impose vaccine warrants for air travel, with President BidenJoe BidenSunday Shows Sneak Peek: Coronavirus Dominates As Country Battles Delta Variant Has President Biden instituted a vaccine mandate for only half of the country’s teachers? Democrats look at vaccine mandates ahead of midterm MOREthe chief medical officer of, Antoine FauciAnthony FauciSunday Shows Sneak Peek: Coronavirus Dominates As Country Battles Delta Variant Journalist Zaid Jilani Describes Removing Animal Rights Advertising Criticizing Fauci Watch Live: COVID-19 Response Team the White House holds a PLUS briefing, saying he would back a mandate but the White House saying a new policy is not forthcoming.

The potential for a mandate for domestic air travel would be fiercely opposed by Republicans and the travel industry and could add to the setback Biden received during his tenure on COVID-19 vaccines and testing for them. companies with at least 100 employees.

The White House views the mandate on these companies as politically popular, but it has faced opposition from GOP governors who have threatened to sue.

The administration might see a mandate to get vaccinated for theft as an issue that might find some support, but it also risks being seen as too far out for the government.

A wave of questions were directed to White House officials this week after Fauci expressed support for an airlift mandate.

“I would argue that if you want to get on a plane and travel with other people, you should be vaccinated,” Fauci said on the Skimm podcast.

The idea is not on the table, White House press secretary Jen psakiJen Psaki Why doesn’t Biden’s vaccine mandate apply to welfare recipients and others? Overnight healthcare – FDA panel backs boosters for some, but not all, White House to host COVID-19 global summit next week MORE said Thursday when asked about Fauci’s remarks.

“We haven’t removed any options from the table, but I don’t have any updates to share with you at this time. We are focused on implementing the big steps we announced last week, ”she said.

Chief of Staff of the White House Ron klainRon KlainHouse is not an easy road for Biden, Democrats on .5T package White House welcomes fight with GOP governors over vaccine mandates Second Qatar Airways plane arrives in Kabul after departure 200 passengers Thursday PLUS on a podcast this week, said a vaccination warrant for domestic air travel was under consideration.

“This is something that we continue to examine. We kind of want to weigh the number of people these requirements might vaccinate against the burden on those vaccinated, having to show proof every time you get on a plane, having to wait on longer lines at TSA. [Transportation Security Administration]. But I think that’s something we’ll look at as we continue to move forward, ”Klain said on“ Pod Save America ”.

Klain argued that vaccines for travel did not make as much sense as vaccines for getting to the workplace, as such a warrant would place heavy burdens on those who show the check and verify it.

“We think the most effective vaccine requirements are where people are sort of in a permanent situation, at work, in the military, where they check once and then they get checked in that scenario,” said the chief of staff. .

Still, a number of restaurants, bars and concert halls have imposed their own vaccination mandates, suggesting that the requirement to travel by plane, which confines people to closed premises, might make sense.

Jeff ZientsJeff ZientsUS To Buy Hundreds Of Millions Of Additional Doses Of Vaccine For World: Report Employers Scramble To Secure Vaccine Verification Systems Biden Engages In Legal Battle With More Immunization Mandates, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said no measures were excluded. He told reporters last week, when asked if the administration would impose a vaccine requirement or testing for domestic flights, “We are not taking any action on the table.”

The pressure to impose a mandate has already come from Congress.

Representative Don Beyer (D-Va.) Introduced legislation allowing all travelers on airlines and domestic trains to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test in order to travel.

Old president obamaBarack Hussein Obama: Our strategy to combat terrorism from a distance is riskier than rewardedTransportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a recent interview that the administration should push airlines to impose vaccines on travelers and if they don’t, the White House should impose those warrants itself.

White House officials reportedly debated the idea of ​​vaccination warrants for international travelers only before Biden’s announcement last week. The announcement, which highlights the private sector for vaccinating employees or requiring testing, has been heavily criticized by Republicans, with some vowing to sue Biden.

Republican governors such as Georgia Gov. Brian kempBrian KempOSHA faces big challenge with Biden’s vaccination mandate DOJ launches civil rights inquiry into Georgia prison violence DeSantis: Local governments face K fines for imposing vaccination mandates MORE, Arizona Gov. Doug DuceyDoug DuceyOSHA faces big challenge with Biden DeSantis vaccine mandate: local governments will face K fines for imposing vaccine mandates We can’t tax and spend our way to ‘recovery’ MORE and the government of South Dakota. Kristi noemKristi Lynn Noem South Dakota lawmakers release petition to impeach state attorney general, OSHA faces big challenge with Biden vaccine mandate Overnight Healthcare – Outgoing vaccine regulators from the FDA Oppose COVID-19 PLUS Booster Injections have threatened legal action, while Congressional Republicans such as the House Minority Leader Kevin mccarthyKevin McCarthyDemocrats look at pre-midterm vaccination mandates Far-right rally draws small crowd, large police presence at Capitol Hill ‘Justice for J6’ rally puts GOP in awkward position MORE (California) argue that people shouldn’t be pressured into getting the vaccine.

Biden also announced that the Transportation Safety Administration would double fines for travelers who refuse to wear masks. Psaki pointed out that the update was one of the “bold and ambitious steps” the administration takes when asked about support for vaccinations or negative tests for domestic air travel.

“Right now our goal is to implement them. Part of this was also doubling the fines for people not wearing masks on airplanes – a step that we believe would help keep people safe on flights and reduce the spread, ”he said. she said Thursday.

The administration recently extended the mask’s federal mandate for all transportation networks until January. The mask’s mandate initially had an expiration date in May, but was extended twice.

Republican lawmakers criticized this policy. In July, Sen. Rand PaulRandal (Rand) Howard PaulSenate lawmakers have shown frustration with Blinken Rand Paul: “Hate for Trump” blocking research on ivermectin as a COVID-19 treatment Masks and vaccines: What is the price of freedom? FOLLOWING (R-Ky.) Introduced legislation to repeal the travel mask mandate and prohibit the federal government from enforcing it. In June, other Republicans led by Sen. Ted cruzRafael (Ted) Edward Cruz Sunday shows preview: Coronavirus dominates as country battles delta variant More than 10,000 migrants await treatment under bridge in Texas Senators slow Biden with detentions at Pentagon, state MORE (Texas) presented a resolution calling for the mandate to be lifted.

The travel industry is already on high alert over the potential of a vaccine mandate for domestic air travel.

US Travel Association president Roger Dow said this week that it would be “extraordinarily difficult” to put in place such a mandate.

“[The] The challenge is you have over 65% of the population vaccinated, and you have 35-40% who for some reason cannot be vaccinated, yet they are ready to take a COVID test and show it when. they go through the door, that they are free from COVID, ”he told reporters on Wednesday.

He said the trade group is “comfortable” with the requirement to vaccinate people traveling to the United States as a means of bringing back international travel.

Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian also recently said he was not planning any mandatory vaccinations for domestic travel to the United States and that trying to determine which travelers are vaccinated “would really clog the domestic travel system.” .

Airlines for America, which defends all major U.S. airports, said that while no policy changes for domestic travel are imminent, it would be concerned if that changes.

“We have been advised that there are no imminent policy proposals regarding domestic travel, and we echo the concerns expressed by the government regarding the implementation and enforcement of such a policy. We stay in touch with the administration and continue to use science to guide policies that prioritize the safety and well-being of the traveling public, ”the group told The Hill in a statement.

The trade group has been pushing for the United States to allow travelers who are fully vaccinated or test negative for COVID-19 to travel to the United States in order to lift international travel restrictions. The industry as a whole has pushed the administration to ease restrictions on most non-Americans, especially those from the UK, who are currently not allowed to travel to the US.

Zients said the administration was working on a new system for regulating international travel and considering vaccine requirements for foreign nationals traveling to the United States.

Karl Evers-Hillstrom contributed to this report.