,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #cghf  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,may #bj1 #bjbj
 ,mr4 ,merkley 7for himself and ,mr4    
,wyden7 introduced the following bill2  
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,foreign ,relations  ,a  
,,bill  ,to reimburse ,united ,states   
citizens for costs incurred for         
commercial flights arranged by the      
,department of ,state to evacuate them  
from foreign countries due to the       
,,covid-#ai pandemic and to waive       
promissory notes and the obligation to  
repay emergency repatriation loans      
related to such travel4  #a4 ,department
 of ,state arranged transportation for  
,united ,states citizens evacuated from 
foreign countries due to ,,covid-#ai    
pandemic  7a7 ,waiver of travel expenses
  7#a7 ,in general ,notwithstanding     
subsections 7b77#b77;,a77ii7 and 7d7 of 
section #d of the ,state ,department    
,basic ,authorities ,act of #aief 7#bb  
,u4,s4,c4 #bfga71 the ,secretary of     

,state shall waive the expectation of   
repayment of any travel expenses        
incurred by the ,department of ,state on
 or after ,january #a1 #bjbj1 on behalf 
of any ,united ,states citizen evacuated
 from a foreign country and repatriated 
to the ,united ,states in response to   
the ,,covid-#ai pandemic4  7#b7         
,cancellation of promissory notes and   
emergency repatriation loans ,any       
promissory note or obligation to repay  
an emergency repatriation loan signed by
 a ,united ,states citizen to reimburse 
the ,department of ,state for travel    
expenses described in paragraph 7#a7    
shall be null and void4  7b7            
,reimbursement of travel expenses  7#a7 
,authorization ,the ,secretary of the   
,treasury1 in consultation with the     
,secretary of ,state shall reimburse any
 ,united ,states citizen who was        
evacuated from a foreign country on or  
after ,january #a1 #bjbj1 and           
repatriated to the ,united ,states on   
one or more flights chartered or        

arranged by the ,department of ,state in
 response to the ,,covid-#ai pandemic   
for any travel expenses directly        
associated with such flights4  7#b7     
,process ,the ,secretary of ,state shall
 develop an online process through which
 ,united ,states citizens may submit    
claims for reimbursement for travel     
expenses described in paragraph 7#a74   
7c7 ,authorization of appropriations    
,there are authorized to be appropriated
 such sums as may be necessary to carry 
out this section4