“Defund these mandates once and for all,” @ChipRoyTX leads colleagues in renewed funding fight

Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) led 38 of his House Republican colleagues in once again pledging to oppose federal funding for the enforcement of COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

“So far, Congress has not leveraged the full ‘power of the purse’ to end the COVID-19 vaccine mandates that continue to harm tens of thousands of Americans – most notably our medical workers, military personnel, and federal workers such as Border Patrol,” wrote Rep. Roy to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Government funding will run out on March 11, 2022, unless Congress again votes to extend it. In February 2022, Rep. Roy led a similar initiative that was stymied by four Senate Republicans who skipped a vote to defund vaccine mandates.

“Congress has passed three continuing resolutions (CRs) since President Biden announced his plan to unilaterally impose COVID-19 vaccine mandates on Americans,” Rep. Roy’s letter reads. “Each of these CRs passed with Republican support. With another government funding deadline approaching on March 11, we urge you to take every step possible to defund these mandates once and for all.”

Rep. Roy also pointed out the hypocrisy of asking American troops to assemble in Eastern Europe while threatening to fire them for choosing not to take the politicized COVID-19 vaccine.

“We the undersigned support individuals’ right to healthcare freedom and will oppose any federal government funding measure that funds the enforcement of COVID-19 vaccine mandates,” his letter concludes.

Full text of the letter can be found below and at the link here:

March 4, 2022

The Honorable Kevin McCarthy

House Minority Leader

The Capitol

Washington, D.C. 20515

The Honorable Mitch McConnell

Senate Minority Leader

The Capitol

Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Leaders McCarthy & McConnell,

While President Biden announced at the State of the Union that “COVID-19 need no longer control our lives,” thousands of Americans across the nation are still without work or facing termination for choosing not to accept mandatory vaccination.  This is wrong.  

At least with respect to the CMS mandates on healthcare workers, 49 Republican senators voted this week to disapprove of the administration’s actions.  But so far, Congress has not leveraged the full “power of the purse” to end the COVID-19 vaccine mandates that continue to harm tens of thousands of Americans – most notably our medical workers, military personnel, and federal workers such as Border Patrol. 

Congress has passed three continuing resolutions (CRs) since President Biden announced his plan to unilaterally impose COVID-19 vaccine mandates on Americans.  Each of these CRs passed with Republican support. With another government funding deadline approaching on March 11, we urge you to take every step possible to defund these mandates once and for all.

While some will say the escalating situation in Ukraine justifies ignoring the tyranny of vaccine mandates to ensure funding of defense, the fact is Americans – including our troops – continue to suffer.  It is particularly troubling for the President to ask thousands of those troops to amass in Eastern Europe while simultaneously finger-wagging at them to get a politicized vaccine or be fired.

We the undersigned support individuals’ right to healthcare freedom and will oppose any federal government funding measure that funds the enforcement of COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

Sincerely,

Chip Roy

Member of Congress

Scott Perry
Member of Congress

Bill Posey
Member of Congress

Thomas Massie
Member of Congress

Mary E. Miller
Member of Congress

Lauren Boebert
Member of Congress

Tom Tiffany
Member of Congress

Lance Gooden
Member of Congress

Warren Davidson
Member of Congress

Bill Huizenga
Member of Congress

Andy Biggs
Member of Congress

Louie Gohmert
Member of Congress

Ronny L. Jackson
Member of Congress

Jody Hice
Member of Congress

Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S.
Member of Congress

Dan Bishop
Member of Congress

Ted Budd
Member of Congress

Andrew S. Clyde
Member of Congress

Marjorie Taylor Greene
Member of Congress

Scott DesJarlais

Member of Congress

Bob Good
Member of Congress

David Schweikert
Member of Congress

Randy Weber
Member of Congress

Michael Cloud
Member of Congress

Barry Moore
Member of Congress

Ralph Norman
Member of Congress

Ken Buck
Member of Congress

Yvette Herrell
Member of Congress

Brian Mast
Member of Congress

Brian Babin, D.D.S.
Member of Congress

Clay Higgins
Member of Congress

Matthew Rosendale, Sr.
Member of Congress

Bob Gibbs
Member of Congress

Alex X. Mooney
Member of Congress

Byron Donalds
Member of Congress

Mark Green, M.D.
Member of Congress

Pete Sessions
Member of Congress

Matt Gaetz
Member of Congress

Troy Nehls
Member of Congress