Letter to President Joseph R. Biden - Congressman Fulcher Leads Effort Against Vaccine Passports

Letter

President Biden,

We write to express our concern regarding recent reports that your Administration is working on
a "vaccine passport" program. The report entails a process that may endanger our constituent's
data privacy, as well as potential violations to the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). We understand there may be announcements from the
White House in the upcoming week(s) that will affect global travel on tourists visiting the United
States, but also Americans who wish to travel internationally.

Furthering our concerns, are additional reports that your Administration may seek to unduly
burden lawful American citizens while allowing illegal immigrants to cross freely into the
United States on the pretense of asylum. Recent reporting from Texas, has stated that over
10,000 illegal border crossings have occurred in the Rio Grande Valley alone, with little to no
Covid-19 testing.At the same time, your Administration is currently suggesting vaccine
requirements on legal citizens seeking to travel abroad.

We also understand there has been outreach to technology companies to develop a "phone app"
to track these potential vaccine passports. This Congress there have already been multiple
bipartisan Congressional hearings seeking to provide oversight over tech company influence in
our elections; the banning of conservative politicians and former President; and their ownership
of U.S. citizen's data. As such, it would be very concerning to provide further opportunities to
big tech companies to own our citizen's private data and health records.

Before the White House makes further announcements regarding vaccine passports, we request
the answers to the following questions:

1. What type of travel restrictions will the Administration put on American citizens to travel
internationally if they don't receive a Covid-19 vaccination or want to disclose their
vaccination records?
2. How would Covid-19 travel restrictions conflict with Covid-19 testing restrictions that
are already in place?
3. How would these restrictions affect pregnant citizens who opt out of Covid-19
vaccinations or citizens who may have severe reactions to vaccinations?
4. Which companies has the Administration contacted regarding vaccination apps?
5. Would these companies have to comply with HIPAA and how will they safely and
securely comply with all applicable Federal and State laws?
6. Would these companies own the data and health records? And will they be restricted
from profiting or compiling records that could endanger our constituent's privacy?

Finally, these discussed travel restrictions and documentation programs represent sweeping
changes with a variety of implications for our constituents. Congress must be involved in such
considerations and the above questions must be addressed prior to any implementation.

Sincerely,