Crapo, Colleagues Oppose Biden's Vaccine Mandate for Health Care Workers

Statement

U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), and Republican colleagues are continuing the fight against harmful federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates with the introduction of a resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA). This resolution would halt President Biden's Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) vaccine mandate for virtually all healthcare employees and prevent any similar rule from being proposed in the future.

"Vaccines have historically proven to be vital to the public health goal of disease prevention. We had record vaccine development, thanks to American medical ingenuity and Operation Warp Speed. However, a one-size-fits-all federal mandate on vaccines and private business practices is not a reasonable solution now--or ever. Medical decisions are best left to patients and their doctors. I will continue to fight to ensure the federal government stays within its authorities entrusted to it by the Constitution," said Senator, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee.

"The Biden Administration's CMS vaccine mandate is a slap in the face to the hard-working men and women who never took a day off in the frontline fight of the COVID-19 battle. These heroes of the pandemic are being fired for choosing not to take the COVID vaccine, despite many of them having immunity through natural infection. As a physician, I'm confident the vaccine has saved lives; however, whether to receive it is a personal choice between individuals and their doctor -- not mandated via executive actions," said Senator Marshall. "With this CRA, we are continuing to do everything in our power to fight for those who ran to the sound of the battle -- for these are the true heroes of the pandemic and deserve our best fight and utmost respect."

"Our doctors, nurses, and first responders have been on the front lines since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, saving lives and keeping our healthcare system running smoothly. Now, President Biden's policies threaten to fire many of those heroic essential workers and exacerbate labor force shortages at our hospitals and first response systems," said Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), Republican Leader. "I have consistently urged everyone to receive their safe, effective COVID-19 vaccines as soon as possible. I am pro-vaccination. But the federal government should not have the power to dictate individual medical decisions or place additional burdens on our healthcare system by placing mandates on these heroes."

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