For the past several months, I have been working and applying pressure to reopen our border with Canada. Reopening the U.S.-Canadian border is not only important for Michigan’s economy with Canadians visiting communities across our state and supporting small businesses, its vital for the families who live on both sides of the border to finally be reunited. While refusing to acknowledge the growing crisis on our southern border, the Biden Administration has also been totally unresponsive to the needs of our northern border.

It’s time the border be reopened to COVID-negative travelers. Below is the piece I wrote for the Detroit News that was published last week describing my work on this important issue as well as how President Biden’s failure to lead on this issue negatively impacts Michigan.

As Michigan residents, we understand how unique the relationship between the United States and Canada truly is. Whether it is traveling across the Detroit River to Windsor, across the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron or from Sault Sainte Marie in the upper peninsula to Sault Sainte Marie in Canada, residents of Michigan and our Canadian friends crossed the border regularly for business, family events and vacation. At least this was the case until the COVID-19 pandemic forced the border to close to all travel deemed non-essential.

In the beginning, this was understandable. Leaders in the U.S. and Canada wanted residents on both sides of the border to be safe. COVID-19 was an unknown virus, and as with any new pathogen, government officials proceeded with extreme caution. Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months and finally we hit the grim anniversary of the border being shut down for a year this past March.

By that time, however, there had been significant scientific breakthroughs in the battle against COVID-19 including the creation of multiple vaccines that were deemed highly effective. While these welcomed medical advancements gave hope to Americans and Canadians alike, policymakers continued to move at a glacial pace.

As time passed and more people were immunized, I found that my colleague, Brian Higgins, a Democrat Congressman from New York, was as frustrated as I was with the lack of transparency and clarity surrounding our northern border. When the Biden administration announced the extension of the border closure on June 18, Rep. Higgins and I released a bipartisan statement criticizing the inability of the Biden and Trudeau administrations to provide a clear roadmap for safely reopening the border.

On July 7, Congressman Higgins and I teamed up again, this time with Congresswoman Kathy Castor, a Democrat from Florida, and sent a letter to President Joe Biden that was signed by 75 members of Congress.

This bipartisan effort not only detailed the negative impact the border closure is having on the U.S. economy, it also called for both governments to follow the science and drop all travel restrictions for travelers between the United States and Canada who are fully vaccinated or provide proof of a negative PCR test.

Finally, on July 19, progress was announced, but it was Canada, not the Biden administration leading the way. Vaccinated Americans will be able to travel to Canada beginning Aug. 9 without having to quarantine. While this is a positive development, I would encourage my Canadian friends to continue to use the best available science and include a negative PCR test for unrestricted travel between our two countries.

Unfortunately, we haven’t seen positive developments here in the U.S. In fact, last Wednesday, the Biden Administration quietly extended the travel restrictions for entry into the United States until Aug. 21. Where is the leadership from President Biden on this issue?

Small businesses still struggling to make ends meet across Michigan rely on tourism dollars from Canadians. The Biden administration’s inaction on the Canadian border is costing the U.S. economy hundreds of millions of dollars every week based on an analysis from the U.S. Travel Association. How many more Michigan residents will lose their jobs and how many small businesses will close their doors forever because of Biden’s failed leadership?

Perhaps what’s most troubling is this stinging reality: Instead of being able to welcome Canadians into our own homes after 17 long months of separation, Americans will have to travel to Canada to reunite with their families, their friends and their loved ones because of President Biden’s inability to lead.