WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st February, 2023) The US House of Representatives passed legislation ending the Biden administration's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers in facilities receiving Federal funding.
House lawmakers passed the Freedom for Health Care Workers Act on Tuesday in a vote of 227-203.
The bill ends the COVID-19 vaccine mandate imposed on workers at health care facilities that participate in Medicare and Medicaid programs.
"No American should be forced to choose between getting the COVID vaccine or losing their job," House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said in a statement on the bill. "The Biden administration's vaccine mandate exacerbated the shortage of health care workers and threatened the American people's access to quality and timely care."
The House passed the bill after President Joe Biden announced on Monday his intent to end the national and public health emergencies with respect to COVID-19 on May 11. The emergencies are currently set to expire on March 1 and April 11, respectively.
