TULSA, Okla. — State leaders are voicing their opinions of the latest measure to stop President Biden’s vaccine mandate. The U.S. Senate voted on a resolution Wednesday in a simple majority vote to block the mandate.
Senate Republicans are saying president Biden’s vaccine mandate is unconstitutional and un-American. Oklahoma senators James Lankford and Jim Inhofe are among those voices on the right calling to repeal the mandate.
The Biden administration presented his vaccination mandate or weekly testing for companies with 100-employees or more; along with a vaccination mandate for federal workers.
In a statement, Sen. Inhofe said, “32 percent of Oklahoma's labor force are at risk of losing their jobs because of a mandate that should be a personal medical decision—that’s absurd. Not only that but complying with this mandate will cost Oklahoma businesses an estimated $46 million.”
Meanwhile, Democratic leaders argue a mandate is necessary to increase the vaccination rate and help slow the spread of the virus. Democratic majority leader Chuck Schumer called out republicans Wednesday for trying to challenge the mandate.
"There should be one message and one message only coming from this chamber to the American people: get vaccinated, get boosted, stay safe yourself, keep your families, your communities, and our country safe,” Schumer said.
Wednesday’s vote was largely symbolic. The democratic-lead house is expected to shut it down. If it somehow makes it to the president’s desk, he would veto it. However, the challenge highlights bipartisan opposition in Congress to the federal government's vaccine mandate.
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