Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin
December 08, 2021
“I have always supported a vaccine mandate for federal employees and the military because maintaining the essential services and military readiness the federal government provides is a matter of national importance. However, I do not support any government vaccine mandate for private businesses. It is not the place of the federal government to tell private business owners how to protect their employees from COVID-19 and operate their businesses. We should incentivize, not penalize, private employers to encourage vaccination among their employees. That is why I cosponsored the bill and voted last night to overturn the federal government vaccine mandate for private businesses. I have received both vaccine doses and a booster shot, and I continue to urge every West Virginian and American to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their loved ones.”