[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 1, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H613]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   COVID NATIONAL EMERGENCY MUST END

  (Mr. LAWLER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LAWLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud the House for 
passing the Pandemic is Over Act, the Freedom For Health Care Workers 
Act, the SHOW UP Act, and for ending the national emergency.
  I was in the New York State Assembly when the COVID vaccine mandate 
was passed, and I argued vociferously against it. Even then we knew it 
would cause irreparable damage to our healthcare facilities, forcing 
thousands of healthcare workers out of their jobs, and we were right. 
That is why it is so important for Congress to take this step and right 
that wrong.
  Another refrain I hear over and over again from my constituents is 
that we need to end the national emergency declaration. We get calls 
every day in my office from small business owners, teachers, 
carpenters, and other constituents who simply don't understand why we 
haven't fully reopened our State and country.
  COVID cases have dropped dramatically across the country, and the 
number of cases today compared to the same date last year are down over 
600,000 cases. The fact is that this no longer constitutes a national 
emergency, and we should absolutely end the declaration.

  Mr. Speaker, I urge the Senate to pass these important pieces of 
legislation and encourage the administration to accelerate their 
timeline on this important matter.

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