Keller, House Republicans Demand Speaker Pelosi Schedule a Vote on Resolution to Eliminate President Biden's Business Vaccine Mandate

Press Release

Today, Congressmen Fred Keller (PA-12), Darrell Issa (CA-50), and 107 House Republicans sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, urging her to schedule a vote on the Congressional Review Act resolution eliminating the Biden administration's private-sector vaccine mandate before Congress recesses for the holidays.

On December 8, 2021, the United States Senate voted 52-48 in favor of a Congressional Review Act resolution (S.J. Res 29) to disapprove of and nullify the OSHA ETS. The House version, being led by Congressman Keller, has been co-sponsored by all 212 members of the House Republican Conference.

In the letter, the Members write:

S. J. Res. 29 provides for congressional disapproval of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) emergency temporary standard requiring all private-sector employers with 100 or more employees to adopt a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy for their workers or require employees who choose not to get vaccinated to undergo weekly testing and wear a mask in the workplace.

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The OSHA mandate represents an unacceptable and unlawful overreach by the federal government, and it will cause irrevocable harm to our nation's businesses and workforce.

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Given the great consequence this matter has for all our constituents, the House of Representatives has a special responsibility to vote on S. J. Res. 29.

On the letter, Congressman Keller made the following statement:

"President Biden's vaccine mandate violates the individual liberties of over 80 million American workers. These are the men and women who kept our economy going throughout the pandemic--now this administration wants to stop them from being able to provide for their families unless they submit to the president's unconstitutional mandate. With the support of every House Republican and a bipartisan majority of Senators for our resolution to eliminate this mandate, I call on Speaker Pelosi to schedule an immediate vote on this Congressional Review Act."

Congressman Darrell Issa:

"The reckless and unconstitutional vaccine mandate that President Biden wants to force upon the nation threatens the jobs of millions of workers and the future of thousands of businesses in every corner of the country -- and we won't rest until they are free from it for good. Speaker Pelosi is blocking a vote on this mainstream measure because she wants to shield Democrats from casting a vote of conscience. She has no interest in shielding the American people from this irresponsible mandate."

Background:

On November 5, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published an emergency temporary standard (ETS)--requiring private sector employers to develop, implement, and enforce a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy or require weekly COVID-19 testing.

This ETS covers employers with 100 or more employees, and an estimated 84 million workers in the nation's private sector.

Based on estimates from the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business Minority, the OSHA ETS will put nearly 45 million American jobs at risk and U.S. businesses will spend at least $1.29 billion to comply with the mandate. Additionally, employers that fail to comply will be fined $13,653 for each offense and willful violations will result in a $136,532 penalty.

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