Rep. Thomas Massie: 201 Democrats Voted for Vaccine Mandate on International Visitors

FBI - WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 08: U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) speaks at a House Second Am
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Hannah Knudsen

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) on Thursday blasted the 201 Democrats who voted in favor of a vaccine mandate on legal international visitors this week, noting that the United States is the “only country in the free world that has this xenophobic policy.”

Last month, Massie introduced H.R. 185, nullifying the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Amended Order Implementing Presidential Proclamation on Advancing the Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic, which essentially requires noncitizen international travelers to show proof of vaccination in order to enter the United States.

While the Republican-led House successfully passed the measure 227-201, Massie blasted the 201 Democrats who voted to keep the policy in place.

“201 democrats (list below) voted for a COVID vaccine mandate on legal international visitors yesterday,” he said, providing a list of the Democrats.

“We are now the only country in the free world that has this xenophobic policy,” he continued, noting that the mandate “doesn’t apply to illegal immigrants who are apprehended and released into the US”:

The list of those voting in favor of vaccine mandate on legal international travelers includes Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, as well as Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), minority leader in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“Today, all of my @HouseGOP colleagues & I voted for @RepThomasMassie’s resolution to eliminate the COVID vaccine mandate for foreign travelers,” Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ) said on Wednesday.

“With countries all around the world ending their COVID-19 restrictions, it is ridiculous that 201 Dems voted against this legislation,” she added:

The measure has an uncertain future, as it now goes to the Democrat-led Senate. Additionally, the Biden administration has already announced its opposition to the bill as well, despite admitting that the coronavirus is “no longer the disruptive threat that it once was.” However, the Biden administration’s Office of Management and Budget said it “opposes Congressional action to reverse the vaccination requirement for noncitizen nonimmigrants entering the United States by air,” asserting that the CDC’s policy is “guided by science.”

“He says his policy is based on science, but his ‘science’ conflicts with the science of the rest of the world which doesn’t have this mandate!” Massie said in response to the Biden administration’s opposition:

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