LANSING, Mich. — The state Senate on Wednesday adopted a resolution sponsored by Sen. Lana Theis condemning President Joe Biden’s directive forcing businesses with more than 100 employees to require employees receive a COVID-19 vaccination or be tested for the virus weekly.
“President Biden’s vaccine requirements on businesses is an egregious overreach of power that infringes on Americans’ civil liberties,” said Theis, R-Brighton. “Health care decisions, including whether to get vaccinated, are deeply personal and should not be subject to intrusive and autocratic edicts from the government.
“Biden’s dictate is not grounded in science and serves no public health purpose. Nor does it address COVID-19 protections acquired by natural immunity. It’s only going to make a bad situation worse by punching down on people with low incomes, which will lead to more resistance and further harm a floundering economy on the brink of a Carter-era disaster.”
Biden announced his administration’s plan to impose strict COVID-19 vaccine requirements on private businesses on Sept. 9, followed by a recent announcement the policy will take effect on Jan. 4.
According to the policy, employers with over 100 employees will be required to ensure workers are vaccinated or impose burdensome weekly testing regimens. It also mandates vaccines for health care workers, federal contractors, and most federal workers. However, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy recently admitted the policy could be expanded to include businesses with fewer than 100 employees, saying: “Certainly nothing is off the table.”
“This is a terrible policy,” Theis said. “Beyond not demonstrating scientific necessity, the administration fails to comprehend the economic implications. Thousands of privately-owned businesses were forced to permanently close because of previous government mandates. Those that remained open are now struggling to survive, in part because people don’t want to work, and this policy is going to make it even harder for businesses to operate. We need to be implementing pro-growth policies that will help the economy recover, not restrictive mandates that lead to more government dependence.”
Senate Resolution 83 may be read in its entirety by clicking here.
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