Another moderate Senate Democrat plans to back a Republican-led effort to overturn President Biden’s national vaccine mandate for private businesses in a direct rebuke of the White House.
Sen. Jon Tester, Montana Democrat, announced Tuesday that while he supported everyone getting “vaccinated as soon as possible,” the private sector mandate was a step too far.
“Over the past few months, I’ve repeatedly heard concerns from Montana’s small business and community leaders about the negative effect the private business vaccine mandate will have on their bottom lines and our state’s economy,” Mr. Tester said. “That’s why I intend to join a bipartisan majority of my colleagues in defending Montana jobs and small businesses against these burdensome regulations.”
Mr. Tester said he plans to vote in favor of a Senate resolution later this week overturning the mandate using the Congressional Review Act. The oversight tool allows lawmakers to repudiate a federal regulation by a simple majority vote in each house of Congress.
If successful, the new regulation is barred from being implemented by the federal government unless Congress passes legislation approving of such a course.
The resolution of disapproval is authored by Sen. Mike Braun, Indiana Republican. Last week, Sen. Joe Manchin III of West Virginia shocked many by becoming the first Democrat to announce his support for the effort.
“I do not support any government vaccine mandate on private businesses,” Mr. Manchin aid. “I have long said we should incentivize, not penalize, private employers whose responsibility it is to protect their employees from COVID-19.”
Mr. Manchin and Mr. Tester’s backing likely assures the resolution’s passage when it comes to the Senate floor this week. After that, the path for success becomes tricky, however.
The measure is likely dead on arrival within the Democratic-controlled House. Even if it were to pass that chamber, Mr. Biden would then likely veto it.
Last week, 48 Republicans voted unsuccessfully to bar the vaccine mandate for private employers from going into effect as part of a funding bill to keep the government open.
Despite their opposition to the mandate, Mr. Manchin and Mr. Tester voted alongside every single Democrat to block the amendment. At the time, Mr. Manchin argued it was a poison pill that would result in shutting down the government.
“In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and as the new omicron variant emerges, I will not vote to shut down the government for purely political reasons,” said Mr. Manchin. “There is too much at stake for the American people.”
For more information, visit The Washington Times COVID-19 resource page.
