Roger Marshall’s attempt to block Biden administration vaccine rules fails in Senate
Kansas U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall attempted Thursday to stop the Biden administration from enforcing rules that would make large private businesses require their employees to get vaccinated.
It failed in a party line vote.
His amendment was intended for a bill that would fund the federal government through December 3 and stave off the looming threat of a shutdown. It would have added language preventing funds from enforcing the vaccine mandate.
In a floor speech, Marshall said that even though he, his wife and his parents were vaccinated and his parents were planning to get booster shots, he believed vaccination was a personal choice.
“Make no mistake, this vaccine mandate is not about public health or science,” Marshall said as he was cut off under the time limit. “If it were, we’d recognize natural immunity as a highly effective way to combat the virus.”
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), the agency charged with enforcing the rules, would be able to fine non-complying businesses around $14,000. Marshall also pointed to a provision in a contentious budget bill still being negotiated that would allow fines up to $700,000.
Despite a long history of compulsory vaccination in the U.S. — dating back to the inoculation of Continental troops against small pox during the American Revolution — Republicans have fought Biden’s order that OSHA create rules requiring businesses with more than 100 employees to vaccinate them or administer weekly tests.
U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Democrat from Vermont, argued against Marshall’s amendment, pointing to the hundreds of thousands of white flags planted on the national mall to honor those who have died from COVID-19.
“Why should we pass an amendment that weakens one of our strongest tools to get people safely through this pandemic?” Leahy asked.
Mandates have already helped boost vaccination rates across the country, while some people have chosen to resign instead of get the shot. In Kansas City, Truman Medical Centers/University Health was one of the first health systems in the area to require their employees to get vaccinated. As of the September 20 deadline, 39 workers — less than 1% of its workforce — have resigned.
That hasn’t stopped Republicans in Kansas from resisting the Biden administration’s rules. Kansas U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner co-sponsored a bill to prevent the enforcement of vaccine directives. It is unlikely to pass.
Republicans in the Kansas legislature have also pushed back. Earlier this week they formed a committee to explore strategies for thwarting the rules.
The amendment was struck down on party lines, with Republicans who have long-touted vaccinations, like Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, voting in favor of limiting OSHA’s ability to enforce the rules.
Minutes after Marshall’s amendment failed, the Kansas Republican Party put out a fundraising email touting the measure.
This story was originally published September 30, 2021 at 1:31 PM.