Washington, D.C. – Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet called for action to bring home U.S. citizens and permanent residents currently stranded outside of the United States due to rapidly changing travel conditions as a result of the expanding Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Bennet pushed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to establish a task force, issue guidance, and provide any support necessary to facilitate the repatriation of stranded Americans, and pressed the Chairman and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee to appropriate $200 million in support of these necessary efforts by the Department of State. 

Many countries have shut down borders and airports in response to the growing COVID-19 pandemic. This has left many Americans traveling abroad without a way to return to the United States, and the Secretary of State has issued no clear course of action. 

“As nations around the world respond to the threat of COVID-19 and shut down borders and airports, many Americans are unable to return home,” wrote Bennet in his letter to Secretary Pompeo. “I ask that the Department of State establish a Task Force dedicated to their repatriation, and provide logistical support, charter flights if necessary, on-site screening and medical treatment, and domestic quarantine capabilities, as needed, for U.S. citizens and permanent residents currently abroad and unable to return home on commercial options.” 

Bennet also requested a $200 million allocation to the Department of State to establish a dedicated task force and provide the logistical support necessary to bring home U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are currently abroad. 

The text of the letter to the Department of State is available HERE.  

The text of the letter to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs is available HERE.