Sec. 2. Findings; sense of Congress

307 words·~1 min read·/bill/116/s/3598/is/section-2

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Congress makes the following findings: The spread of the novel coronavirus (2019–nCoV) and subsequent travel restrictions issued by nations around the world have left many United States citizens stranded overseas as they sought to return to the United States. On March 19, 2020, the Department of State issued a Level 4 Health Advisory that— advised all United States citizens to avoid all international travel due to the global impact of COVID–19; urged United States citizens overseas to seek commercial departure options to return to the United States unless they were prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period; and lead many United States citizens to seek repatriation to the United States.

As a result of rapidly changing travel restrictions by the United States and the closing of borders and airports in numerous countries around the world— many commercial airlines cancelled flights and failed to reimburse United States citizens for the costs they had paid for such flights; and many United States citizens were left without any return flight options. In their efforts to comply with the Department of State travel guidance, some United States citizens have been forced— to pay often exorbitant and unanticipated fees directly to commercial airlines for emergency flights to return to the United States; or to sign a promissory note to the Department of State to commit to reimbursement for a flight chartered by the repatriation task force through United States embassies around the world.

Given the precarious position of United States citizens who were stranded globally and the difficult economic conditions they may face upon returning to the United States, it is the sense of Congress that the commercial airline industry and the Department of State should fully reimburse or waive all travel costs for United States citizens who require repatriation to the United States as a result of the COVID–19 pandemic.