U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today led several of his Senate Republican colleagues in introducing a resolution that, if enacted, would allow Congress to nullify a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) interim final rule (IFR) that requires all staff and volunteers in Head Start educational facilities around the country to be fully vaccinated and wear a mask. Most notably, this resolution would nullify the IFR's mandate for all children two years of age and older to wear a mask, including when they are playing outside. Congress can consider this resolution using expedited procedures under the Congressional Review Act and can pass it by a simple majority vote.
"Not only is this decision to police schoolyard activities yet another affront to parents' rights by the Biden administration, even worse is nothing about this nationwide policy is based on science or common sense," said Thune. "A toddler mask mandate highlights everything that's wrong with Washington, which is why I introduced this common-sense resolution that would prohibit the Biden administration from enforcing or implementing this intrusive, one-size-fits-all Washington rule on America's children."