Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Inhofe
U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) joined Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and several of their Republican colleagues to introduce the Keeping Our COVID-19 Heroes Employed Act to prevent essential workers from being fired due to President Biden’s sweeping vaccine mandate.
President Biden should be doing everything possible to encourage Americans to show up to work. Instead, Biden’s plan is to implement a vaccine mandate that could force countless Americans to be fired.
This legislation was also introduced by Sens. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Tommy Tuberville (R- Ala.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.)
“Essential workers have honorably served in hospitals, public safety, schools and more throughout the pandemic, but now their livelihoods are threatened because of their vaccination status,” Senator Inhofe said. “I am proud to cosponsor the Keeping Our COVID-19 Heroes Employed Act so that hardworking men and women can continue serving in Oklahoma and around the nation without the fear of being fired because of the Biden administration’s heavy-handed, out-of-touch national mandate. The decision to get the vaccine should be made individually – not mandated by the federal government.”
“Our essential workers are true heroes,” said Senator Blackburn. “For over 18 months, essential workers showed up to serve and protect their communities. Businesses across the country are desperate for workers and we are in the midst of a supply chain crisis. There are more than 10.4 million open jobs across the country, and now President Biden wants to fire even more workers. Getting vaccinated is a choice that should be made between a patient and their doctor. No one should be forced by Joe Biden to be fired or get jabbed.”
“From the earliest days of the pandemic, our frontline workers and first responders put themselves in harm’s way to keep food on our tables and care for the sick in our communities. We should be celebrating their heroism, not punishing them for exercising their individual health freedoms. I’m proud to join Senator Blackburn in defending their rights and fighting the Biden administration’s mandate,” said Senator Lummis.
“The COVID-19 vaccine mandate being forced upon America’s workers is yet another example of the Biden Administration’s government overreach,” said Senator Hagerty. “We should be protecting our frontline essential workers who served courageously—despite the hardships and health risks—during the COVID-19 pandemic, not issuing unlawful federal mandates that threaten their jobs.”
“Getting vaccinated is a personal choice that should not be made by the federal government, and no one’s job should be dependent upon a vaccine mandate – especially those essential workers who kept our country going during the worst of the pandemic and government-imposed shutdowns,” said Senator Braun.
“When the pandemic ground our country to a halt, our essential workers stayed on the job protecting our communities, transporting goods, stocking shelves, and saving lives. Threatening their job is no way to thank them. Our essential workers, like all Americans, should be free to make the health decision that works for them without the risk of losing employment,” said Senator Tuberville.
“Well before President Biden’s ill-advised and divisive vaccine mandate, I had been hearing from doctors, nurses, first responders, and others facing the life-altering decision of having to choose between losing their job or being coerced into taking a vaccine. We are already suffering severe worker shortages throughout our economy, especially in health care. Vaccine mandates will increase these shortages and degrade our health care system. I support any effort, and am happy to co-sponsor Sen. Blackburn’s Keeping Our COVID-19 Heroes Employed Act, to mitigate the very real harms these mandates are causing and will continue to cause. No one should be pressured, coerced, or fear reprisal for refusing treatment, especially essential workers,” said Senator Johnson.
The Keeping Our COVID-19 Heroes Employed Act Has Been Endorsed By Numerous Groups including the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, National Border Patrol Council, Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, the National Sheriffs’ Association and National Association of Small Trucking Companies.
“The National Association of Small Trucking Companies (NASTC) strongly supports the Keeping our COVID-19 Heroes Employed Act. Thank you very much for standing up to protect our truckers and other essential workers from heavy-handed federal mandates,” said David Owen, President of the National Association of Small Trucking Companies.
“Since the pandemic began, our federal law enforcement officers and other front line workers have been doing the seemingly impossible – combating an invisible enemy with little to no guidance. While most Americans were told to stay home, these workers were deemed essential to keeping our national security, health, and commerce working. Now, due to a vaccine mandate that completely disregards this past service, many of these essential workers are facing termination for failure to comply, in some cases despite health concerns or on advice from their doctors. This is wrong. We trusted these essential workers to make critical decisions to protect their communities during the pandemic response. We should trust them to make their own medical decisions now. This is why we are proud to support Sen Blackburn’s legislation, the Keeping Our COVID-19 Heroes Employed Act, which would protect every essential worker from being terminated for not complying with the vaccine mandate. At a time when our nation needs its law enforcement officers, health care workers, teachers, and other first responders due to staffing shortages and ongoing national emergencies, terminating these dedicated employees doesn’t build America back better. It will make our nation worse off,” said Larry Cosme, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association National President.
“It’s beyond shameful that we are further attacking the only profession that stands between good and evil in every American city. We should be talking about hazard pay for every essential worker, not no pay. The Keeping Our COVID-19 Heroes Employed Act will ensure our police officers are able to do their job to serve and protect their communities,” said John Catanzara, Chicago Fraternal Order of Police President.
“Freedom means trusting the American people and equipping them with information to assess risks and make the best decisions for themselves and their families,” said Heritage Foundation President Kay C. James. “Instead of presenting a coherent strategy, including metrics that define the end of the pandemic, President Biden introduced counterproductive and divisive rhetoric and policies based on fear and control.”
BACKGROUND:
- The Keeping Our COVID-19 Heroes Employed Act will ensure our economy remains open by protecting our essential workforce from being fired. In August 2021, the U.S. economy had a shocking 10.4 million open jobs. As grocery store shelves sit empty and communities struggle to recover, the Biden administration announced a sweeping plan that would force countless Americans to be fired.
- This legislation will protect essential workers from being fired due to federal COVID vaccination requirements.
- Click here for additional information.
- Click here for the bill text.