The Republican National Committee slammed the Biden administration’s workplace vaccine mandate Thursday, calling it “authoritarian overreach” while accusing President Biden of failing to “do his job.”
“Joe Biden failed to shut down the virus as he promised – he couldn’t do his job, so now he wants you to lose yours. This mandate is yet another attack on frontline workers, first responders, small businesses, and the rights of the American people,” RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement.
“Additionally, by taking months to draft this order and shifting the deadline to after the holidays for political gain, Biden has completely undermined any emergency justification for this unlawful overreach.”
The RNC first slammed the order when the president announced it in September and vowed to sue the administration.
“Many small businesses and workers do not have the money or legal resources to fight Biden’s unconstitutional actions and authoritarian decrees, but when his decree goes into effect, the RNC will sue the administration to protect Americans and their liberties,” McDaniel said at the time.
The mandate will apply to businesses with more than 100 employees. Those that choose not to be vaccinated will be subject to weekly testing.
On Thursday, administration officials announced the private-sector mandate will go into effect Jan. 4, with fines of up to $14,000 per infraction for employers that don’t comply.
McDaniel reiterated her intention to sue the Biden administration in her Thursday statement, calling the mandate “unlawful.”
“While I am pro-vaccine, the Biden administration does not have the authority to force hardworking Americans to choose between being vaccinated and providing for their families. That’s why the RNC is suing the Biden administration over this unlawful vaccine mandate and will maintain every legal option to fight this authoritarian overreach,” she said.
Several Republican lawmakers joined in slamming the order Thursday, with the office of Ken Paxton, Texas’s attorney general also announcing their intention to sue.
“Biden just announced his plan to wield OSHA to mandate vaccines on private businesses. And I’m announcing my plan to sue him once this illegal, unconstitutional regulation hits the Federal Register. Here comes another winning #Texas v. Biden law suit,” Paxton’s office tweeted.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) called the mandate “lawless” and accused the administration of pushing for more power.
“This is all about power. Getting the COVID vaccine should be a personal health care decision one makes with their doctor,” he wrote. “There’s no legal basis for Biden’s lawless mandate.”
Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La) called out the administration for waiting until after Tuesday’s election to announce when the mandate would go into effect, saying it is about “controlling” American’s lives.
“Let’s get this straight: President Biden waited until after the election to roll out his “emergency” vaccine mandate. And it won’t even take effect until 4 months after it was first announced. This is not about controlling an “emergency,” this is about controlling your life,” he tweeted.
Iowa Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks warned the order will only make the current labor shortage worse and cited her experience as a doctor for her opposition.
“I am strongly opposed to OSHA’s vaccine mandate rule. These mandates are going to make the current labor shortage worse,” she wrote. “Americans have a choice of whether to be vaccinated. As a doctor, I chose to get vaccinated and gave vaccines to those in my district who chose to get them.”
Rep. Roger WIlliams (R-Texas) called Thursday’s move a step in Biden and his allies’ “Socialist takeover.”
“President Biden’s unconstitutional vaccine mandate is a gross violation of your rights and freedoms. The federal government has no place to force private employers to impose such radical and tyrannical mandates on its employees.”
Others, including Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (R-NY), said it shows Biden has no respect for constitutional regulations.
“This vaccine mandate from Biden shows that he has no respect for constitutional guardrails. It is truly a point of no return for this Administration. The mandate will further exacerbate an already disastrous labor & safety crisis,” Tenney tweeted.
Earlier this week, 41 Republican House members announced their intention to overturn the mandate through the Congressional Review Act, calling the rule “unacceptable.”
The Republican senators’ move does not have full support from the right side of the aisle yet as nine of the senators are waiting for OSHA to release the formal rule.