BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. Doug Burgum released the following statement today after the Biden administration announced it is extending restrictions on nonessential travel at the U.S.-Canada border for another month, until Oct. 21. Canada reopened its border to vaccinated U.S. citizens for nonessential travel on Aug. 9.

“Again without an explanation from the White House, it’s impossible to know what’s driving this baffling decision to extend these unnecessary restrictions on land-based travelers from Canada – when Canada’s vaccination rate is substantially higher than the United States’ – while making accommodations for foreign visitors traveling by air to our country,” Burgum said. “We won’t relent in our efforts to press the Biden administration, as we’ve done repeatedly including in our July letter with four border states and provinces, to lift these needless restrictions that continue to hurt communities and citizens on both sides of the border as well as our retail and tourism businesses that rely on Canadian travelers.”