In response to federal vaccine mandates, Republicans in Congress are moving to curb such overreach through legislation. Led by Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), 21 members have co-sponsored the Freedom from Mandates Act, which the representative introduced Friday.
@RepThomasMassie @RepRosendale @JeffDuncan_ @CongressmanHice @RepBobGood @replouiegohmert @RepMoBrooks @RepVanTaylor @RepJasonSmith @TXRandy14 @RepCloudTX
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) September 24, 2021
@congbillposey @RepDLesko @RepMcClintock @jdanbishop @chiproytx @RepAndyHarrisMD @RepMaryMiller @RepAlexMooney @RepRalphNorman @RepBoebert
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) September 24, 2021
The congressman spoke with Henry Rodgers and Michael Ginsberg of The Daily Caller about his legislation.
"The federal government may not force the American people to get a vaccine against their will. President Biden’s continued attempts to trample on the rights and liberties of Americans must not be tolerated. His vaccine mandates are just another example of using fear and division to pit Americans against each other and maintain his control. The American people must be allowed to make their own health care decisions. It is their right," Biggs said.
The bill will nullify President Biden's executive orders mandating vaccines for federal employees and contractors. The text also reads that "The Secretary of Labor may not issue any rule requiring employers to mandate vaccination of employees against COVID–19 or requiring testing of employees who are unvaccinated against COVID–19."
It further adds that "the Secretary of Health and Human Services may not require a health care provider, as a condition of participation in the Medicare or Medicaid program, to mandate vaccination of employees against COVID–19 or require testing of employees who are unvaccinated against COVID–19, and may not otherwise penalize such a provider for such provider’s failure to so mandate such vaccination or so require such testing."
Speaking of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), the person who holds that title, Xavier Becerra, has been mostly MIA as of late. Such an absence was noted by POLITICO earlier this week. As Adam Canryn wrote on Tuesday, "Becerra takes a back seat while others steer Covid response."
Organizations vocally in support of the legislation include FreedomWorks and the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
"In our system of government the Congress, not the executive, writes our laws. Unfortunately, that basic civics lesson is lost on President Joe Biden as he tests the limits of his authority with a series of sprawling COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Rep. Andy Biggs’ Freedom from Mandates Act is a harsh rebuke to President Biden’s executive overreach in the fight against invasive COVID-19 mandates," FreedomWorks President Adam Brandon said.
"The Texas Public Policy Foundation commends Congressman Andy Biggs for introducing the Freedom from Mandates Act. This bill would nullify President Biden’s unconstitutional national vaccine mandate that represents one of the most egregious overreaches of the federal government on the liberty and freedoms of the American people. Forcing employees to choose between their job and injecting drugs into their bodies is not only a violation of their liberty, but for those serving in the armed forces and other military operations, it poses a national security risk. Congressman Biggs’ Freedom from Mandates Act is a necessary first step to push back against the Biden administration’s authoritarian actions under the guise of COVID-19," the CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, Kevin Roberts, weighed in.
Earlier this month, President Joe Biden announced a vaccine mandate for federal employees and contractors. He took it even further, though, in that the Department of Labor, via Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), will issue a new rule mandating that private employers with more than 100 workers have a vaccine mandate or have their employees submit to testing at least once a week.
On Thursday, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, not only supported mandating COVID-19 vaccines for children once authorized when asked if he did, but reaffirmed support for the president's mandates announced two weeks ago from yesterday.
"I appreciate what the president did, for federal employees, we're going to require that," he told MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle.
President Biden is certainly not deterred. As Katie also covered on Friday, the president doubled down on his vaccine mandates while speaking to reporters at the White House. "I’m moving forward with vaccination requirements wherever I can," he said.