U.S. SENATE — Senate Democrats today voted against U.S. Senator Steve Daines’ effort to stop President Biden’s vaccine mandates that will hurt Montana small businesses, federal employees, federal contractors, healthcare workers and service members.
“President Biden’s overreaching vaccine mandate will hurt Montana small businesses and force hardworking Montanans out of their jobs. Tonight, the Senate had a chance to help kill the mandate, yet every Senate Democrat, including the senior senator from Montana, chose to stand with Biden and voted against it. I won’t stop fighting until Biden’s mandates are no longer a reality,” Daines said.
It’s estimated that about 130,000 Montanans will be impacted by Biden’s business mandate and could be forced out of their jobs.
Background:
Daines has been leading efforts in Congress against Biden’s vaccine mandates.
On November 15, Daines called on Biden to reverse the vaccine mandate for health care workers, which could cripple and even shut down some of Montana’s hospitals as nurses and other health care workers will be forced to leave their jobs. The most painful consequence will be the harm to Montana patients not able to receive care.
On November 5, Daines supported Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s lawsuit challenging President Biden’s vaccine mandate on Montana small businesses.
On November 3, Daines moved to strike down Biden’s vaccine mandates under the Congressional Review Act (CRA). A CRA is a process for Congress to eliminate an executive branch rule and must be brought up for a vote by the full Senate regardless of an agreement by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats. To pass, a CRA only needs 51 votes.
On October 27, Daines called on Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to reassess the vaccine mandate for Montana firefighters that could inhibit effective forest management and wildfire response in the state.
On October 12, Neptune Aviation wrote to Daines expressing the burden Biden’s mandate would put on its workforce and firefighting capabilities. Read the letter HERE.
On October 18, Daines cosponsored bills to protect Montana workers, small businesses from Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate and prevent the federal government from imposing fines, fees or taxes on Montana small businesses that do not adhere to Biden’s mandate.
In October, Daines urged President Biden to rescind COVID-19 vaccine mandates which will hurt Montana businesses and threaten the livelihoods of Montana workers.
In October, Daines cosponsored a bill, the “Stop Vaccine Mandates Act,” to rescind President Biden’s executive order mandating federal contractors and workers to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Read the bill text HERE.
On September 16, Daines slammed President Biden for his top-down vaccine mandate, and questioned its constitutionality.
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Contact: Katherine McKeogh, Katie Schoettler