Republican leaders in Congress face another pressure campaign from conservative members to shut down the federal government and protest the remaining federal vaccine mandates.
Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy is circulating a draft letter to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell saying the members “refuse to consider supporting any federal government funding vehicle, be it a continuing resolution or an omnibus appropriations measure, that funds the enforcement of COVID-19 vaccine mandates at any level of government.” Government funding runs out on Feb. 18.
More than two dozen Republicans have signed on to the letter so far, according to a list obtained by the Washington Examiner. This includes Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, and Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert. Additional members may join the letter before Friday.
The Biden administration on Tuesday withdrew its vaccine-or-test requirement for private businesses with more than 100 employees after a Supreme Court ruling blocked the rule. But other Biden administration vaccine mandates are taking effect or are being challenged in the courts, affecting federal employees and contractors, healthcare workers, and members of the military.
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“The Biden administration has unilaterally imposed five separate COVID-19 vaccine mandates, four of which continue to directly impact millions of Americans,” the draft letter says. “Currently, medical workers, men and women in uniform, federal employees, and federal contractors face termination if they do not receive a COVID-19 vaccine — even though evidence shows these vaccines do not prevent the spread of the virus.”
The Democratic chairs and Republican ranking members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees said in a statement earlier this month they are negotiating omnibus funding legislation to meet the Feb. 18 funding deadline.
Some Republicans previously mounted a pressure campaign to force a government shutdown over vaccine mandates ahead of the last funding deadline in early December. At that time, much of the outrage centered on the now-rescinded private employer vaccine-or-test mandates. They were unsuccessful, with McConnell flatly rejecting the idea of a shutdown, and 19 Senate Republicans voted for the stopgap funding measure.
“Most Republicans say that vax mandates are tyrannical and foolish, but will they unite before government funding expires on February 18th to pledge not to fund enforcement of these mandates? Will at least 10 of the 19 GOP Senators who voted to punt last time now stand up for healthcare workers or not? We’re going to find out,” Roy told the Washington Examiner in a statement.
Republicans do not have the votes to block a government funding measure in the House. However, at least 10 Senate Republicans would have to join Democrats to overcome a filibuster in the Senate to pass a funding bill.
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A full list of members so far joining Roy in the letter include Paul, Perry, Rep. Warren Davidson, Boebert, Rep. Bob Good, Rep. Dan Bishop, Rep. Andy Biggs, Rep. Jody Hice, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Rep. Jeff Duncan, Rep. Mary Miller, Rep. Louie Gohmert, Rep. Alex Mooney, Rep. Matt Rosendale, Rep. Ralph Norman, Rep. Bill Posey, Rep. Clay Higgins, Rep. Randy Weber, Rep. Andrew Clyde, Rep. Paul Gosar, Rep. Russ Fulcher, Rep. Thomas Massie, Rep. Barry Moore, Rep. Brian Mast, Rep. Troy Nehls, Rep. Michael Cloud, and Rep. David Schweikert.
The full draft letter, obtained by the Washington Examiner, is below:
