Richard Shelby takes stance against vaccine mandates
Senator Richard Shelby has publicly expressed his views on the Biden Administration’s vaccine mandate. The mandate states that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly. Alabama lawmakers have spent months fighting, this arguing it is government overreach. Gov. Kay Ivey called the mandates “outrageous” and also argued that vaccine mandates are “not the role of the government.” Last week, congressman Gary Palmer and several colleagues sent a letter to Doug Parker, the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, opposing the mandate. Attorney General Steve Marshall also filed a lawsuit last Friday challenging the federal-contractor vaccination mandate. Last week, state senator Arthur Orr spoke to Yellowhammer News, expressing his surprise that Shelby hadn’t already joined efforts to stop the mandate. In an interview, Orr stated, “[W]hat I also find interesting, Dale, is Senator Shelby has not signed on with a letter from Senator Lankford from the Midwest to be against the Biden mandate,” Orr said. “Senator Tuberville did. And I was surprised not to see Senator Shelby join his Republican Senate colleagues fighting back against these Biden mandates.” While other lawmakers have openly expressed their disdain for the mandates, Shelby had been relatively tight-lipped about his views until now. On Monday, Richard cleared up any misunderstandings, stating on Twitter, “Last week I proudly joined @SenatorBraun and other @SenateGOP colleagues in officially challenging President Biden’s vaccine mandate under the Congressional Review Act. This mandate violates our constitutional liberties and is federal overreach at its finest.” Shelby stressed the importance of vaccinations but emphasized individual choice. “While I urge people to consult with their doctor about getting vaccinated, I believe our individual freedoms and rights are of the utmost importance,” Shelby commented.
Congressional leaders send letter to OSHA opposing vaccine mandate
Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06) and several colleagues sent a letter to Doug Parker, the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, to oppose a federal vaccine mandate on businesses across the country. Alabama congressmen Mo Brooks and Barry Moore also signed the letter. The letter states, “OSHA has said the spread of COVID-19 presents a grave danger to employees. However, this is not the case. Many employees have either been vaccinated or have achieved immunity naturally, and thus are not in grave danger. Many workplaces are also not in environments where the spread of COVID-19 is a concern, including employees who work from home or who work in outside settings.” The letter also urges the Secretary to make a religious exemption. “While we do not agree that you should finalize this mandate, we urge you to provide a religious exemption to the requirement should you forge ahead and request that you make that commitment in writing.” “Unfortunately, this Administration must be reminded that religious rights and other freedoms are not forfeited during a pandemic,” Palmer stated in a press release. Palmer questioned the legality of the vaccine mandate arguing that religious and other conscience exemptions are the heart of the Constitution. “The employer-employee relationship does not need intervention from a third federal party. Employees need their individual rights to be protected, not trampled upon by the government. I firmly believe this mandate is unconstitutional, and at the very least, we need to defend the rights of individuals who, for whatever deeply held beliefs, decide to refuse it. No one should be forced to choose between providing for their families and violating their conscience. Religious and other conscience exemptions are at the heart of the Constitution, which this Administration and every Member of Congress swore an oath to uphold and defend. This letter from my colleagues and me insists that at the least, individuals’ freedoms must be respected and maintained when regulations on the mandate are finalized and published.” Originally tweeted by Gary Palmer (@USRepGaryPalmer) on November 1, 2021. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is part of the U.S. Department of Labor. Their mission is to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for workers by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education, and assistance.
