Norton Condemns 11th Attack on D.C. Vaccine Mandates

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today condemned a bill introduced by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) that would repeal the District of Columbia's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for students and prohibit D.C. and schools in D.C. from using D.C. funds to impose or enforce such a mandate. This is Cruz's fourth attack this Congress on D.C.'s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for students.

"Senator Ted Cruz is a regular violator of D.C. home rule," Norton said. "Senator Cruz, like many other Republicans who profess to support local control of local affairs, tries to use the federal government's undemocratic power over D.C. to dictate local D.C. policy. D.C.'s duly elected local government adopted the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for students, and Senator Cruz does not have the right to interfere in this policy decision. Until my D.C. statehood bill is enacted, Republicans will continue to try to interfere in D.C.'s local affairs.

The Cruz bill is the 11th attack this Congress on D.C. vaccine policies, all of which Norton has defeated:

• Cruz filed a motion to commit the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 to block D.C. from using funds to enforce its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for students.
• Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced a bill that would nullify D.C.'s requirements that individuals present documentation of COVID-19 vaccination to enter certain facilities and that students receive COVID-19 vaccination.
• Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) introduced a bill that would nullify D.C.'s requirement that individuals present documentation of COVID-19 vaccination to enter certain facilities.
• Cruz introduced a disapproval resolution that would block D.C.'s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for students.
• Representative Pat Fallon (R-TX) introduced a bill that would prohibit D.C. from requiring an individual to present documentation of COVID-19 vaccination to enter any building, facility, or other venue.
• Cruz filed an amendment to the third fiscal year 2022 continuing resolution that would have blocked D.C. funds from being used at any school that enforces a COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
• Representative Michael Cloud (R-TX) and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced a disapproval resolution that would have blocked D.C.'s bill that permits minors to receive a vaccination without parental consent.
• 49 House and Senate Republicans sent a letter demanding Congress defund the enforcement of D.C. COVID-19 vaccine mandates in the first fiscal year 2022 appropriations bill.
• 12 House Republicans sent a letter calling for hearings on repealing the D.C. Home Rule Act if D.C. does not repeal its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for students.

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