More than a dozen House Republicans have signed onto a letter calling for an appropriations bill to include language to prohibit funds from being used to enforce a Medicare and Medicaid-related COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
“As you draft the upcoming Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for FY 2024, we request that you include language in your bill that would defund COVID-19 vaccine mandates,” the letter declares.
The letter is directed to House Appropriations Committee chair Kay Granger (R-TX), Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-Ct.), and Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies subcommittee chair Robert Aderholt (R-AL).
A copy of the letter was provided to TheBlaze by Nate Madden, communications director and strategic advisor for GOP Rep. Chip Roy of Texas.
The lawmakers specifically ask for the inclusion of language to block funding for a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services rule.
“None of the funds provided under this Act to the Department of Health and Human Services, or provided under a previous or subsequent appropriations Act to such department, or provided from any account in the Treasury of the United States derived by the collection of fees available to such department, may be used to enforce the rule titled ‘Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination’, which was issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on November 5, 2021, or any substantially similar rule,” the suggested language reads.
“Congress holds the power of the purse and must take every step possible to defund these tyrannical mandates once and for all,” the letter declares. “Again, we are asking that you include language that specifies that none of the funds appropriated shall be used for enforcing COVID-19 vaccine mandates.”
The GOP lawmakers who signed the letter include Reps. Chip Roy of Texas, Jeff Duncan of South Carolina, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Mary Miller of Illinois, Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma, Claudia Tenney of New York, Dan Bishop of North Carolina, Andy Ogles of Tennessee, Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin, Eric Burlison of Missouri, Kat Cammack of Florida, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Daniel Webster of Florida, Eli Crane of Arizona, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Bill Huizenga of Michigan, Scott DesJarlais of Tennessee, Troy Nehls of Texas, and Bob Good of Virginia.
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