[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 212 (Wednesday, December 8, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S9003]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                VACCINES

  Mr. McCONNELL. Now, Mr. President, on another matter, for the past 2 
years, as the country has battled COVID-19, I have been a strong and 
consistent advocate of following the science and taking precautions. 
That has included strong support for the safe and effective vaccines 
that have helped millions of Americans substantially lower their risk 
of death or serious illness. I took advantage of these modern medical 
miracles as soon as I could. I have received a booster. I have 
encouraged Kentuckians and all Americans to take full advantage as 
well. I have recorded public service announcements.
  I am a survivor of childhood polio. I have watched vaccines 
obliterate polio in our entire country in my lifetime. Trust me, there 
is no bigger proponent of vaccination than I am. But here is the thing: 
The United States of America is a free country. The Federal Government, 
elites in Washington, cannot micromanage citizens' personal choices 
without a legitimate basis in law and the Constitution. And that goes 
double for Presidents going far beyond the bounds of their office and 
their authority.
  President Biden's absurd private-sector vaccine mandate is blatant 
overreach. It is illegal. The administration has already lost in 
Federal court and had it blocked.
  Washington Democrats have lashed themselves to a mast that is very 
simple: Unvaccinated people should be fired. That is what they want. 
They don't trust individuals, families, doctors, employers, and 
customers to sort things out for themselves. They want every worker at 
a medium-sized business and up to either get the shot or get fired by 
President Biden. And buried in the illegal mandate is a call to explore 
whether it should expand to all businesses.
  This is not how things work in our country, period. Workers are not 
happy. Medium-sized businesses are not happy, especially not in the 
middle of this worker shortage. And, frankly, nobody who understands 
our system of government is happy.
  I have heard from so many Kentuckians who are affected by the 
administration's suite of several unwise vaccine mandates. Here is one 
quote:

       My wife . . . was notified that if she doesn't get fully 
     vaccinated by January 4 then she would be terminated and lose 
     her job without severance or unemployment. . . . She has been 
     [there] for 17 years and has nothing but exemplary reviews.

  Here is another:

       I will lose my job at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. 
     I very much enjoyed my work there and had every intention of 
     retiring from the plant. However, due to Joe Biden's forced 
     vaccine mandate, I will be terminated. . . . Please let a man 
     who wants to work, go to work.

  Here is another:

       My firm [of] 103 employees will [either] lose about 25 to 
     the mandate, or lay off 4 to get to 99. Which one should we 
     do?

  Remember, personally, I would encourage each of these Kentuckians to 
get the vaccine, but for the purposes of this conversation, that really 
isn't the point. You better believe I am going to stand up and fight 
for their freedom.
  I want to thank the junior Senator from Indiana for spearheading this 
resolution to overturn the Biden administration's illegal mandate. I am 
a proud cosponsor. I will proudly vote for it and urge every Senator to 
do the same.

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