Miller-Meeks Joins Legislation to Support Essential Workers

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today November 4th, 2021, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02) joined over a dozen House members, led by Rep. Tim Burchett (TN-02), in introducing the Keeping Our COVID-19 Heroes Employed Act. This legislation would protect any individual who was deemed as essential during the COVID-19 pandemic from termination under the Biden Administration’s vaccine mandate. This includes Americans employed by the federal government, private entities that receive federal funds, and private entities that received funding from any of the six coronavirus response bills passed by Congress. It also would exempt public and private federal contractors from the mandate.

This legislation is the House companion to S. 3079, introduced by Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) in October.

“Americans should choose whether to be vaccinated, not forced. As a doctor, I decided to be fully vaccinated and gave COVID-19 vaccines to those in my district who chose to get them,” said Miller-Meeks. “The Administration’s mandates are only making the current labor shortage worse. Our essential workers have been working overtime for over a year and a half to keep the rest of us safe and healthy. They should not be punished for something that should be a personal choice.”

“Federal bureaucrats want to punish any American who disobeys Big Brother Biden’s vaccine mandate,” said Burchett. “Individuals must decide for themselves on taking the coronavirus vaccine without government threats to their livelihoods if they do not get the shot. Biden’s vaccine mandate will make our country’s labor shortages worse, especially in essential services like public safety and health care.”

“Our essential workers are true heroes,” said Blackburn. “For over 18 months, essential workers showed up to serve and protect their communities. Businesses across the country are desperate for workers and we are in the midst of a supply chain crisis. There are more than 10.4 million open jobs across the country, and now President Biden wants to fire even more workers. Getting vaccinated is a choice that should be made between a patient and their doctor. No one should be forced by Joe Biden to be fired or get jabbed. The Keeping Our COVID-19 Heroes Employed Act is critical to protect our essential workers. Thank you, Representative Tim Burchett, for bringing my fight for America's essential workers to the House of Representatives."

To read the full text of this legislation, click HERE.

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