The Senate voted narrowly to roll back President Biden's vaccine and testing mandate for large employers, taking mostly symbolic action as Republicans escalate their protest of the administration's push to immunize Americans against a deadly Pandemic.
The vote was bipartisan, as two centrist Democrats, Joe Manchin III of West Virginia and Jon Tester of Montana, joined all 50 Republicans in voting to overturn the regulation, which has already been blocked. Administration officials said that Mr. Biden would veto it if it reached his desk.
It was a great opportunity for Republicans to paint the administration's efforts to increase coronaviruses vaccinations as federal overreach, a central component of their campaign message going into the elections next year. It was a successful vote for the minority party.
The federal government cannot micromanage citizens' personal choices without a legitimate basis in the law and the Constitution, according to SenatorMitch McConnell of Kentucky, the minority leader. That goes double for presidents who go far beyond their authority.
The vaccine has proved to be effective in stemming the spread of the coronaviruses. A booster shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine might provide some protection against the Omicron variant, according to a study published online on Tuesday.
Republican leaders have struggled to quell vaccine misinformation and skepticism in their ranks and draw a distinction between opposing the mandates rather than the vaccines, so the legislative action is likely to further politicize the response. Republicans conceded that they wouldn't be able to overturn the rule without a veto-proof majority, but said they would use the mandate as evidence of the Biden administration's heavy-handed approach to governance.
Senator Mike Braun, Republican of Indiana, who spearheaded the effort, said that if you keep plowing forward with it, it will be his liability. I think it is a bad subject that he has been doctrinaire about.
The concern from centrist Democrats signaled that some in the president's party are wary of fully embracing mandates beyond those for federal workers and members of the military. Businesses in their states are concerned about the ability to retain workers if the regulation is upheld in court.
Mr. Tester said before the vote that he was in favor of vaccines and federal mandates for health care workers and military personnel. It is about certainty for businesses.
The bill was passed with the help of two Democrats.
In November, the administration said that a vaccine and testing mandate would go into effect in January for the private sector. The private-sector requirement was blocked by a federal appeals court. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration had overstepped its authority in issuing the rule.
Some companies welcomed the OSHA requirement as a way to move forward, but others resisted because of concerns about a labor shortage. Walmart and JP Morgan Chase are some of the largest private employers that do not have a broad mandate for their employees.
According to a recent survey by the consulting firm, 57 percent of companies plan to require Covid-19 vaccinations. Only 32 percent of people plan to mandate vaccines if the OSHA rule takes effect. Seven percent of people said they would impose regulations regardless of the outcome.
The Republicans threatened to block the funding bill because of the mandates. They failed to win Democratic support for a proposal that would have barred funding for carrying out mandates.
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There are new Covid treatments. The pills for treating Covid-19 should be available soon. Scientists say we will need an arsenal of drugs to deploy against new variant if they erode the protection of existing vaccines.
The Congressional Review Act was used by Republicans to counter the mandate. The law gives Congress the ability to overturn a regulation with a simple majority in both chambers, but it can't be filibustered in the Senate.
Republican proponents said at a news conference on Wednesday that the bid to overturn the rule was a referendum on federal overreach and proof of their willingness to fight for the people they represent.
Capito said that encouraging and requiring are different things. She said that the mandate was killing the American spirit of being able to make decisions.
The Republicans tried to undermine the inoculation of Americans, according to a majority of Democrats. Elizabeth Warren said that taking tools out of the toolbox is dumb.
The majority leader of the Senate, Chuck Schumer of New York, said that there should be one message from the chamber to the American people. Keep your families, your communities and our country safe by getting vaccinations, boosting your immune system and staying safe yourself.
Lauren contributed to the reporting.
