Posted on 12/01/23
| News Source: FOX News
A group of five senators have written to President Biden demanding he implement a travel ban on China due to an alarming spike in an unknown respiratory illness inside the communist nation.
The letter, penned Friday by Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.; JD Vance, R-Ohio; Rick Scott, R-Fla.; Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.; and Mike Braun, R-Ind., calls for Biden to immediately restrict travel between the U.S. and China until more information is gathered about the dangers posed by the new illness.
China has seen a rise in unexplained childhood pneumonia cases and other respiratory illnesses.
Citing China’s "long history of lying about public health crises," the lawmakers called for swift action to be taken to protect the health of Americans and the economy.
"During the COVID-19 pandemic, the CCP’s obfuscation of the truth, and lack of transparency, robbed the United States of vital knowledge about the disease and its origin," the lawmakers wrote.
"That means we should immediately restrict travel between the United States and [China] until we know more about the dangers posed by this new illness.
"A ban on travel now could save our country from death, lockdowns, mandates, and further outbreaks later."
The senators drew on the effectiveness of former President Donald Trump’s travel ban on China, which was implemented on Jan. 31, 2020, as a model for such an action.
"Many officials and commentators — including you — criticized his decision as being influenced by ‘xenophobia.’ But history and common sense show his decision was the right one," the letter to Biden said.