U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) joined Senator Mike Braun (R-Ind.), and 38 Republican colleagues in formally moving to disapprove and nullify President Biden’s vaccine mandate on private employees under the Congressional Review Act, the official process for Congress to eliminate an Executive Branch rule. The Biden administration has announced U.S. businesses have until Jan. 4, 2022, to comply with their vaccine mandate.
“Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate is an unconstitutional infringement on the fundamental rights of American citizens. More than that, it unlawfully bypasses established regulatory procedures. Congress, not the President, has the authority to make law,” said Senator Hawley. “He is ignoring this basic principle by forcing employers to require their workers be vaccinated, undergo rigorous testing procedures, or be fired. It’s wrong, will make our nation’s economic challenges worse, and must not be allowed to go into effect.”
“Since the announcement of President Biden’s vaccine and testing mandate in September, I have led the charge to strike down this vast overstep of authority by the federal government. Today, we are one step closer to protecting the liberties of millions of Americans in the private sector workforce under the Congressional Review Act. I urge my Senate colleagues to vote in favor of this disapproval resolution in the coming weeks,” said Senator Braun.
The federal vaccine mandate threatens to worsen the current labor shortage and supply chain issues. The federal directive will impact tens of millions of Americans and warrants review by Congress — the representatives elected by the American people to make the laws.
Senator Hawley has previously demanded answers on President Biden’s vaccine mandate for failing to provide adequate safeguards for the sincerely held religious beliefs of federal employees.
He has also called for an explanation of the supposed constitutional basis of the OSHA rule mandating vaccinations for 80 million private-sector workers.