Sen. Marshall Speaks on Amendment Prohibiting Biden’s Vaccine Mandate

(Washington, D.C., September 30, 2021) – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. spoke on the Senate floor today about his amendment to the government spending package to prohibit funding for implementing or enforcing the Biden Administration’s COVID vaccine mandate on private companies. Senator Marshall said in part,

“I rise in support of our amendment to prohibit funds in this legislation to be used to promulgate, fund, or enforce President Biden’s unconstitutional vaccine mandate on private employers… As a physician, I’m confident the vaccine has saved lives… But whether to receive it is a personal choice between individuals and their doctor – not mandated via unconstitutional executive actions… Make no mistake: This vaccine mandate is not about public health or science. If it were, we’d recognize natural immunity as a highly effective way to combat the virus.”

You may click HERE or on the image below to watch Senator Marshall’s remarks:

Background:

Senator Marshall’s amendment comes on the heels of Democrats working to codify fines up to $700,000 on businesses that have unvaccinated employees as a way to pay for their multi trillion dollar tax and spend bill.

Senator Marshall has been leading the fight in the U.S. Senate to halt President Biden’s vaccine mandate and to get the Administration to recognize the importance natural immunity.

• In opposition to Biden’s vaccine mandate, Senator Marshall joined his colleagues in demanding a Congressional Review of President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate on private employees before it goes into effect and oppose this unlawful, unnecessary federal command.

• Senator Marshall joined his colleagues to introduce the Prevent Unconstitutional Vaccine Mandates for Interstate Commerce Act. As the Biden Administration is working to enforce vaccine mandates for businesses merely seeking to engage in interstate commerce, the legislation would protect the privacy of Americans’ personal health information and prohibit the Department of Transportation and other federal agencies from requiring proof of vaccination or the use of a vaccine passport for such activities.

• Senator Marshall introduced the COVID-19 Vaccine Dishonorable Discharge Prevention Act to prohibit the Department of Defense (DOD) from giving servicemembers a dishonorable discharge for choosing not to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

• Senator Marshall led a letter with 14 other health care providers in Congress to the CDC urging the agency to acknowledge natural immunity from COVID-19. The letter also urges the CDC to work with other federal agencies to ensure all future policies and federally-funded research take into account natural immunity.

In New York, thousands of individuals who just last year were health care heroes are being laid off or suspended resulting in staffing shortages throughout their hospital system.

As many as 10,000 teachers, cafeteria workers, and school police officers will be out of work when New York City’s vaccine mandate for school staff goes into effect this week.

From Forbes: Fines on private employers who employ more than 100 employees, “could run as high as $70,000 for serious infractions, and $700,000 for willful or repeated violations—almost three-quarters of a million dollars for each fine. If enacted into law, vax enforcement could bankrupt non-compliant companies even more quickly than the $14,000 OSHA fine anticipated under Biden’s announced mandate.”

Administration Flip Flops on COVID Vaccine Mandates:

In December, 2020, President Biden said, “I don’t think it should be mandatory, I wouldn’t demand it to be mandatory”

In July, 2021, Press Secretary Jen Psaki said a vaccine mandate is “not the role of the federal government”

In August, 2021, President Biden’s chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci said, “There’s no secret that I feel that we should not have central [vaccine] mandates from the federal government.”

In July, 2021 Dr. Fauci said, “I don’t see it [vaccine mandate] on a national level merely because of all the situations you have upon encroaching upon a person’s freedom to make their own choice of their own health.”

Full Text of Senator Marshall’s Remarks as Prepared:

Thank you, Mr. President.

I rise in support of our amendment to prohibit funds in this legislation to be used to promulgate, fund, or enforce President Biden’s unconstitutional vaccine mandate on private employers.

As a physician, I’m confident the vaccine has saved lives. My wife and I got the vaccine. My parents got the vaccine and they are waiting to get their booster.

But…Whether to receive it is a personal choice between individuals and their doctor – not mandated via unconstitutional executive actions that the Administration recently acknowledged they didn’t have authority to put in place!

No precedent exists in American history for punishing private employers who don’t enforce government vaccination edicts.

Astonishingly, House Democrats included fines up to $700,000 on businesses that have unvaccinated employees as a way to pay for their out-of-control spending!

Make no mistake: This vaccine mandate is not about public health or science. If it were, we’d recognize natural immunity as a highly effective way to combat the virus.

This unconstitutional mandate is about fulfilling this administration’s desire to control every aspect of our lives.

This is a slap in the face to the hard working men and women – construction workers, plumbers, home builders, farm workers, restaurant workers, and truckers – who just want an honest pay for an honest day’s work. It will also raise supply chain hurdles and further ignite inflation.

Doctors and nurses – heroes of the pandemic – are already being fired for choosing not to take the vaccine.

Thousands of teachers, cafeteria workers, and school police officers will be fired when New York City’s vaccine mandate goes into effect.

I close by asking every American family…

Who do you trust more with your health decisions? You and your doctor, or the federal government?

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and stop the unconstitutional vaccine mandate on private companies.

Thank you Mr./Madam President. I yield back.

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