Republican senators: Defund mandates or defund government

A group of Republican senators are calling for a vote to defund the Biden administration’s vaccine mandates. If that roll-call vote isn’t called to the floor, the senators have said that they will not approve the next continuing resolution (CR) to keep the United States government fully funded. 

The next CR vote is on February 18. 

While the Supreme Court ruled in January against the vaccine mandate for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), workers in four sectors are still required to get vaccinated in exchange for their livelihood: healthcare workers, the military, federal employees and federal contractors. 

Led by Senator Mike Lee of Utah, the senators signed a letter to their colleagues stating their intentions. The senators are Ted Cruz of Texas, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Roger Marshall of Kansas, Mike Braun of Indiana and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming. 

“In addition to the lingering, harmful uncertainty faced by those subject to the four remaining COVID-19 mandates – specifically, those imposing vaccine requirements on medical workers, military personnel, federal employees, and federal contractors – the American people as a whole still face uncertainty as to whether President Biden has abandoned his desire to impose similar requirements on them,” read the letter. 

“We will continue to stand against these mandates until they are discontinued in ambition, design, and practice,” the senators continued. “For that reason, we are writing to let you know that we will not consent to a time agreement that eases passage of the Continuing Resolution (“CR”) now before the Senate absent an agreement to allow for a roll call vote on an amendment that defunds the enforcement of these vaccine mandates for the spending period covered by the CR.” 

The letter emphasized that vaccine mandates are not just a misuse of power, but also a misuse of science. 

“These COVID-19 vaccine mandates amount to a serious abuse of both federal power and executive authority. They also further strain the economic and social pressures our society currently faces, while completely ignoring existing evidence-based data on natural immunity from previous COVID-19 infection. Further, evidence-based research has conclusively shown that vaccination does not stop the spread of COVID-19. In any event, President Biden has no business forcing people to make a tragic choice between unemployment and an unwanted vaccination,” the letter said. 

The senators then urged their colleagues to join them. 

“History will bear record of whether we chose to endure tyranny, or oppose it, in this pivotal moment,” the letter continued. “We invite you to stand with us and oppose the CR until it explicitly defunds the implementation and enforcement of these mandates. At a minimum, we need to take a vote on this before funding their enforcement. The livelihoods and personal freedoms of millions of Americans are at stake.” 

Last week, Republican representatives introduced anti-mandate resolutions while wearing masks that mocked California Governor Gavin Newsom. 

The representatives, led by Kevin Kiley (R-CA), made a move in the state legislature to end Newsom’s emergency powers, which he has used to impose mask and vaccine mandates on the citizens of California, particularly children. 

Recently, however, Newsom was seen violating his own mandates again. The governor was seen unmasked at the NFC championship game, hobnobbing with Magic Johnson. 

As they introduced resolutions to cancel Newsom’s emergency powers, Kiley and Rep. James Gallagher wore masks imprinted with a photo of Newsom and Johnson posing maskless for a photograph at the game. 

The resolutions were overruled by a Democrat majority.