Rep. Buchanan pens letter demanding end to COVID vaccine mandate for health care workers

WASHINGTON, D.C. (FLV) – Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., wrote a letter to the Biden administration urging an end to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate on health care workers when the public health emergency ends on May 11.

“The pandemic is over, and has been for some time,” Buchanan said. “Continuing to subject health care workers to unnecessary, pandemic-era big government overreach provides no benefit and will inevitably lead to adverse health outcomes for patients.”

“The public health emergency expires in May, and with its expiration, President Biden should rescind this heavy-handed mandate and stop contributing to our nation’s already concerning health care worker shortage,” he said.

Buchanan was joined by Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-S.C. It was addressed to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

“The health care sector continues to face workforce shortages, and our healthcare workers deserve better than being forced out of their jobs for choosing not to receive the COVID shot,” Duncan said.

Earlier in April, President Joe Biden signed an end to the COVID-19 national emergency. It passed both chambers of Congress with support from members of both parties.

“We are hopeful that ending the national emergency is followed by the swift termination of draconian policies on our healthcare system, specifically the end of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate,” the letter said. “We strongly urge you to repeal this authoritarian rule that forces healthcare workers to get the COVID-19 vaccine in order to keep their job.”

“We believe this was misguided, un-American policy from the beginning.”

The letter decried the current policy that the vaccine mandate for health care workers will remain in place until November 2024.

Buchanan was joined by 53 other House Republicans.

Read the full letter here.