The United Kingdom is lobbying the Trump administration to ease travel restrictions that bar people in the U.K. from traveling to the U.S. amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to a new report from Reuters.
The White House is reportedly mulling lifting travel bans barring entry to noncitizens who were recently in any one of 29 countries, but U.K. officials have spoken with the White House and Cabinet as the decisionmaking process continues.
A spokeswoman for the U.K. Department for Transport told The Hill that “restarting transatlantic flights is of critical importance to the economic recovery of the UK and the US, the airline industry and for British nationals, most of whom cannot enter the U.S. British officials continue to pursue the resolution to this issue.”
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The British Embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill.
Allies of President TrumpDonald TrumpTrump signs bill to keep government open amid relief talks US to close two Russia consulates ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ trends on social media following new Space Force name MORE, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantisRon DeSantisUK pushes for White House to lift travel ban: report Florida health scientist after home raided: ‘I will continue to speak truth to power’ EPA gives Florida authority over managing wetlands, waterways MORE (R), have urged the White House to ease travel restrictions to help boost the country’s flagging tourism economy. However, high numbers of coronavirus cases in Europe and elsewhere have stood in the way of efforts to allow more people into the country.
The restrictions were first put in place in March at the height of the initial wave of the pandemic and prevent any noncitizen who was in any of the 29 countries for the last two weeks from traveling to the U.S.
Virtually all of Europe currently bans U.S. travelers, while the U.K. allows American tourists but requires that they undergo a two-week quarantine upon arrival.