Top House Republicans wrote to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Monday, urging her to drop a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for indoor establishments that is set to take effect on Jan. 15.
Kentucky Rep. James Comer, the top Republican on the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, and Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina, the ranking Republican on the panel’s Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, said in a letter to Bowser that the vaccine mandate would cause economic damage and would be ineffective at curbing the spread of the virus.
“Like the Democrat lockdowns of 2020, the latest left-wing vaccine passport fad will not prevent the virus from spreading,” Comer and Norman wrote. “This sweeping mandate, however, will harm the District’s economic recovery and lock many Americans out of their capital city. We urge you to withdraw the order.”
Bowser joined a small group of other cities that have implemented vaccine mandates for many indoor establishments.
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Bowser announced the policy last month. It requires anyone 12 or older to show proof of at least one vaccine in order to enter public establishments including restaurants, gyms, entertainment facilities, and meeting sites.
San Francisco, Boston, Los Angeles, and Chicago have implemented similar requirements.
The mayors cited rising COVID-19 cases, particularly among young people, although cases are milder and hospitalization has not climbed.
Bowser also announced a mandate for students in all D.C. schools, both public and private.
The GOP’s letter to Bowser did not address the school mandate specifically, but Comer and Norman cited the impact of a vaccine mandate on young people.
“This is another draconian measure against children — a group that has unfairly suffered at the hands of liberal educators and the institutions they serve throughout this pandemic,” the GOP lawmakers wrote. In particular, school groups visiting D.C. will be prohibited from taking advantage of our nation’s treasures.”
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While Congress can exert some control over the District government, Republicans are in the minority and have no power to enforce their request, which Bowser is likely to ignore.
The Supreme Court last week heard arguments in an emergency appeal of President Joe Biden’s vaccine requirement for large employers and those working in the healthcare industry.
