Sen. Angus King of Maine is among a group of senators calling on President Biden to open the northern border to vaccinated Canadians by October.

In a letter to Biden, the group highlighted the economic and emotional strains the border closure has on states like Maine. They urged Biden to lift travel restrictions at the end of this month, create a public plan to reopen land ports of entry to vaccinated Canadians, and appoint an interagency lead to spearhead coordination.

The senators said the closure is affecting close personal and processional ties with Canada, noting that Canadians come to border states for business, recreation, shopping, and to visit families and friends.

“The restrictions on nonessential travel across the border have greatly curtailed these activities and led to economic and emotional strain in our communities,” the senators wrote. “We appreciate the need to prioritize the health and safety of the American public through reasonable restrictions on international travel. However, we believe that fully vaccinated Canadians should be allowed to safely travel into the United States via land ports of entry.”

The letter was signed by King, an independent, and Democratic Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hasson of New Hampshire, Jon Tester of Montana, Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters of Michigan, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.

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