Source: United States Senator for Wyoming John Barrasso
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) voted Wednesday to block President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate on private workers. The bill passed the Senate with bipartisan support, 52 to 48.
Click here to watch Sen. Barrasso’s remarks on the vaccine mandate.
“Today the Senate rejected President Biden’s vaccine mandate,” Barrasso said. “This was a strong, bipartisan vote. The president’s unconstitutional mandate on private businesses is government overreach at its worst. It turns employers into the vaccine police.”
In September, President Biden announced vaccine mandates that extend to more than 80 million private sector workers.
While Barrasso has endorsed vaccines, he said the decision should ultimately be left up to individuals, along with seeking advice from medical professionals they trust, not federal dictates.
“As a doctor, I know vaccines are safe and they work. We need more people to choose to get vaccinated,” he said. “This mandate has had the opposite effect. The people of Wyoming shouldn’t be forced to choose between their job and their personal health care decisions.”
To implement President Biden’s mandate, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS). Employers that fail to comply will be fined $13,653 for each offense and willful violations will result in a $136,532 penalty.
This rule places unrealistic compliance burdens on employers, Barrasso said, especially during a time where business and supply chains are already under duress. For example, the rule originally demanded 30 days after publication, all requirements other than testing for employees must be in place. In addition, 60 days after publication, all testing requirements must be in place. Federal courts have temporarily blocked these requirements.
“The writing is on the wall. Americans, the courts, and now the Senate have spoken,” Barrasso added. “It’s time for the president to listen and withdraw this misguided mandate for good.”
The Congressional Review Act (CRA) can be used by Congress to overturn certain federal agency regulations and actions through a joint resolution of disapproval. If a CRA joint resolution of disapproval is approved by both houses of Congress and signed by the President, or if Congress successfully overrides a presidential veto, the rule at issue is invalidated.
The resolution now moves to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration.
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