The House of Representatives approved a Republican bill that would eliminate the federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers.
The Freedom for Health Care Workers Act, which was introduced by Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC), would rescind the requirement that healthcare workers be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at medical facilities that accept Medicare or Medicaid, including many long-term care facilities. It passed 227-203 early Tuesday evening.
“The healthcare industry is already suffering from a severe workforce shortage that will have drastic effects on our ability to take care of patients,” said Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) on the House floor Tuesday. “The personal health decision of whether to receive a vaccine should be left between a patient and their doctor. The federal government has no place in demanding what an American must do for their personal health and certainly as a condition of employment.”
The legislation also says that the Department of Health and Human Services cannot institute a similar vaccination mandate, which Democratic lawmakers say would prevent federal agencies from addressing ongoing and future public health threats.
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