Seven House Democrats voted with all Republicans for a bill to lift COVID-19 vaccine mandates for healthcare workers.
Despite Democratic leadership advising the conference to vote against the Freedom for Health Care Workers Act, several members voted for it anyway. Zero Democrats supported a separate bill that would end the White House’s COVID-19 public health emergency declaration.
HOUSE TO VOTE ON ‘PANDEMIC IS OVER’ BILL ONE DAY AFTER BIDEN ANNOUNCES END TO COVID-19 EMERGENCY
The Democrats who joined with Republicans to declare the end of the vaccine mandate were Reps. Jared Golden (ME), Chrissy Houlahan (PA), Abigail Spanberger (VA), Andrea Salinas (OR), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA), Donald Davis (NC), and Val Hoyle (OR). The measure passed 227-213, with four members not voting.
The bill requires that healthcare centers accepting Medicare or Medicaid rescind rules that staff be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus and that the Department of Health and Human Services cannot institute a similar vaccination mandate.
“The healthcare industry is already suffering from a severe workforce shortage that will have drastic effects on our ability to take care of patients,” said Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) on the House floor Tuesday. “The personal health decision of whether to receive a vaccine should be left between a patient and their doctor. The federal government has no place in demanding what an American must do for their personal health and certainly as a condition of employment.”
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The White House said Monday it would end the public health emergency measures on May 11, while House Republicans want an immediate end.
