Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) joined Senator Mike Braun (R-IN) in formally moving to disapprove and nullify President Biden’s vaccine mandate on private employees through the Congressional Review Act: the official process for Congress to eliminate an executive branch rule.
This week, President Biden’s White House is expected to issue a rule to officially mandate COVID-19 vaccination requirements for employees at private businesses with more than 100 employees. The rule, which will affect more than 80 million Americans, will impose $14,000 fines for those who do not comply.
“Once again, President Biden is stretching the limit of his legal authority to mandate Americans and business owners into compliance. At a time when businesses are struggling to find workers and keep up with demand, the Administration is further shrinking the workforce by forcing Americans to choose between their job and their personal health care decisions. The Biden Administration does not have the constitutional authority to take this action, and our resolution seeks to protect personal liberty, our economy, and the Constitution,” said Senator Cramer.
This rule by the Biden Administration strips personal freedoms from Americans and subjects private businesses to additional duress in the midst of the current labor shortages and disrupted supply chains. In short, this unacceptable federal directive impacts tens of millions of Americans and warrants review by Congress – the representatives elected by the American people to make the laws.
“Small businesses face daily challenges from pandemic requirements, locating qualified workers, rampant inflation, and supply chain disruptions. Small business owners and their employees want to operate in a safe and healthy manner that allows them to stay open. Additional mandates, enforcement, and penalties will further threaten the fragile small business recovery,” said the National Federation of Small Businesses of the mandates.
Senators Cramer and Braun are joined by Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Mike Lee (R-UT), James Lankford (R-OK) , Rick Scott (R-FL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Rand Paul (R-KY), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Marco Rubio (R-FL), John Barrasso (R-WY), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), John Thune (R-SD), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Richard Burr (R-NC), Mike Rounds (R-SD), John Hoeven (R-ND), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), James Risch (R-ID), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Boozman (R-AR), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Todd Young (R-IN), John Kennedy (R-LA), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Steve Daines (R-MT), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and John Cornyn (R-TX), as well as members of the House of Representatives.