Florida Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R) has amassed support from a bipartisan group of Congressional lawmakers in his effort to direct a letter to Jeffrey Zients, the White House COVID Coordinator. Bilirakis' letter urges the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to update and revise its Travel Advisory for cruise ships.
Bilirakis is the Co-Chairman of the Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus.
In directing the letter, the lawmaker takes issue with the fact that the CDC currently lists cruise sailing as a Level 4 Travel Advisory. The lawmakers argue that it should be revised because it’s a position that “is not backed by facts or science, does not meaningfully improve public health outcomes, and unfairly punishes constituents and businesses who rely on the cruise industry for their livelihood.”
Those who joined Bilirakis in signing the letter include Florida Rep. Charlie Crist (D), Florida Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R), Florida Rep. Michael Waltz (R), and Texas Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R).
In a statement, Bilirakis expressed that “policy decisions related to public health should be rooted in science and data, not politics.” Adding that “there is clear evidence proving that cruise lines have been operating during the pandemic with appropriate safeguard to protect the public,” Bilirakis commented that “it is wrong for the CDC to continue unfairly targeting this industry without regard to the financial detriment continued overregulation has had on the industry and related small businesses.”
In the letter, the lawmakers write that “the CDC is prolonging the economic devastation of the cruise industry and their community partners, including hoteliers, restaurants, airlines, longshoremen, food wholesalers, tour operators, local governments, ports, and thousands more by mandating requirements which reflect conditions that no longer exist and with total disregard for the documented data that demonstrates the success of the industry’s existing protocols to operate safely.”
