Lee Zeldin: Time to Eliminate Coronavirus Vaccine Mandates on ‘Everyone’

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 6, 2022 - - Shoppers, some wearing masks, some not, make their
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Hannah Knudsen

Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) is among the latest to call for the end of Coronavirus vaccine mandates on “everyone” in light of the conservative victory in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which rescinds the vaccine mandate on the military.

Republicans celebrated the victory after the text of the NDAA revealed that the military vaccine mandate will be done away with. It reads in part:

No later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall rescind the mandate the members of the Armed Forces be vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to the memorandum dated August 24, 2021, regarding “Mandatory Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination of Department of Defense Service Members.”

Republican leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) is among those who highlighted the massive victory, deeming it “a victory for our military” and for “common sense.”

“Whether the argument is science, military readiness, or freedom, the answer is the same — end the mandates and reinstate those who lost their positions taking this stand,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) wrote this week:

Eliminating the mandate, however, is not enough, as McCarthy and others said it is crucial for the Biden administration to correct service records and rehire those who lost their jobs due to the rule:

Others suggest that the GOP-led Congress should push even further, eliminating any remaining vaccine mandates across the board altogether.

“Eliminate all COVID vaccine mandates on everyone,” Zeldin, who recently announced that he will not challenge Republican National Committee (RNC) chairwoman Ronna McDaniel due to her “pre-baked” victory, said on Wednesday:

Rep. Thomas Massie (R–KY) also said that next steps should involve ending “all COVID vax mandates,” including those on healthcare workers and foreign visitors:

The calls to end all Coronavirus vaccine mandates come not only on the heels of the NDAA victory, but nearly a year after the Supreme Court dealt a blow to the Biden administration, knocking down the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rule, which would have subjected tens of millions of Americans to a vaccine mandate in order to keep their job. However, the Court upheld the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) mandate on healthcare providers, and foreign visitors are still required to show proof of vaccination prior to entering the country.

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