Bill Overview
Title: Northern Border Reopening Act
Description: This bill prohibits applying to any Canadian national any limitations or suspensions on entry into the United States that are based on a COVID-19 travel restriction.
Sponsors: Rep. Jacobs, Chris [R-NY-27]
Target Audience
Population: Canadian nationals wishing to enter the United States
Estimated Size: 1000000
- Canada has a population of approximately 38 million people.
- Before the pandemic, there were millions of trips between Canada and the U.S. annually.
- Approximately 14 million overnight trips were made by Canadians to the U.S. in 2019.
- A significant number of Canadian nationals travel to the U.S. for tourism, business, and family reasons each year.
- The COVID-19 pandemic and associated travel restrictions have significantly decreased cross-border travel.
Reasoning
- The Northern Border Reopening Act aims to enhance cross-border mobility between the U.S. and Canada, potentially impacting tourism, business, and personal travel.
- Given a $20,000,000 budget in year 1, the direct impact would mainly be on administrative efforts and the facilitation of smoother transit.
- Over a 10-year period, the budget of $224,000,000 reflects ongoing adjustments and possible infrastructural improvements at border crossings, benefiting frequent travelers.
- The policy may not heavily impact most Americans except border communities, and those with close ties to Canadian nationals, either through ancestry, business, or personal relations.
- Considering the pandemic's impact on cross-border activities, restoring ease of travel can significantly boost the economies of both nations, especially in tourism and business sectors.
- The inclusion of affected and unaffected individuals helps measure both direct and indirect outcomes of the policy.
Simulated Interviews
Border Control Officer (Buffalo, NY)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe reopening to Canadian nationals will smooth operations and reduce tension at the border.
- The policy might make my job a bit busier initially, but it's for the better.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 3 |
Travel Agent (Seattle, WA)
Age: 33 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy will help my business recover quicker.
- I'm optimistic about the return of Canadian clients looking for travel packages into the U.S.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Retiree (St. Paul, MN)
Age: 56 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It'll be great to see family from Canada more often without the current red tape.
- Our family reunions have been too sparse due to COVID restrictions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
College Student (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 23 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This change won't affect me directly right now, but it would make traveling to Canada easier when the time comes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Manufacturing Plant Manager (Detroit, MI)
Age: 39 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We've faced delays due to travel restrictions that this policy can easily minimize.
- I'm hopeful it will streamline operations and improve delivery times from Canada.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
IT Consultant (Chicago, IL)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having unrestricted travel to Canada will definitely make my job easier.
- I often have clients in Toronto and this policy would allow unrestricted face-to-face meetings again.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Tourism Board Director (Miami, FL)
Age: 41 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy will be a critical boon for reigniting Canadian tourism to Florida.
- We've missed the economic input from Canadian visitors during the travel restrictions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Healthcare Administrator (Boston, MA)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This makes it easier for Canadian patients to access our healthcare facilities.
- Less paperwork and uncertainty is always beneficial for us and our patients.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Border City Retail Owner (Fargo, ND)
Age: 60 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Opening the border will bring back our Canadian customers, which are a significant part of our business.
- Hopeful this would mean a return to our pre-pandemic sales levels.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Software Developer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 46 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm not directly impacted, but it does make collaboration with Canadian partners easier in future projects.
- Good to know travel will be less of a barrier if needed.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $20000000 (Low: $10000000, High: $30000000)
Year 2: $20500000 (Low: $10000000, High: $31000000)
Year 3: $21000000 (Low: $10500000, High: $32000000)
Year 5: $22000000 (Low: $11000000, High: $34000000)
Year 10: $25000000 (Low: $12000000, High: $38000000)
Year 100: $30000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $45000000)
Key Considerations
- Impact on local economies near the northern border due to potential increase in Canadian tourist activities.
- Resource allocation for border control and management to handle increased traffic.
- Possible public health implications if COVID-19 variants lead to renewed health checks or restrictions.