Valley representative seeks change regarding nationwide vaccine mandate

Published: Nov. 23, 2021 at 5:21 PM EST
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STAUNTON, Va. (WHSV) - As the deadline for President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate draws closer, one Valley politician is saying it’s not beneficial for economic recovery.

The president’s executive order includes about 2/3 of the U.S. workforce, requiring them to be vaccinated by Jan. 4.

Rep. Ben Cline (R, 6th District) said the mandate is an overreach and will hopefully not go into affect.

“When it comes to businesses in the Valley, we really are at a critical point with our economic recovery with inflation, with our shortages in workers. Businesses are struggling right now,” Cline said.

Cline said the choice to get vaccinated is one that should be left to an individual, however, he supports a private business’s right to set its own guidelines.

“That is something that should be left to either each business or each employee to make that decision for themselves,” Cline said.

He said each individual making the choice will look into evidence and decide what’s best.

“We have confidence in the ability of the people to make the right decision for themselves; whereas, those pushing this mandate believe the government should be the ones making the decision for you, and that’s not the way this country was meant to operate,” Cline said.

Cline said he’s sponsoring bills in the commonwealth that would attack the order, along with a bill that cuts off funding for implementation of the mandate. He said he’s also writing to the administration to push back the implementation date.

“People are standing up and saying, ‘we’re tired of these government overreaches intruding into our daily lives,’ and they want to be respected as individuals, as American citizens, to make the decision that’s right for them,” he said.

Cline said he is vaccinated, and he encourages it for others, too.

Biden’s mandate requires employees get vaccinated or get tested regularly.

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