Norton Says Republicans Launch 7th Attack on D.C. Vaccine Mandates

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today said that 49 House and Senate Republicans have vowed in a letter to vote against the next fiscal year 2022 appropriations bill unless it defunds the enforcement of both federal and District of Columbia COVID-19 vaccine mandates. The federal government is currently operating under a continuing resolution (CR), which expires February 18, 2022. If Congress does not extend the CR or pass the regular appropriations bills by then, the federal government would shut down. While Norton has gotten D.C. exempted from federal government shutdowns, Congress appropriates D.C.'s locally raised funds.

"Republicans, who profess to support local control of local affairs, are trying to use the federal government's undemocratic power over D.C. to dictate local D.C. policy," Norton said. "D.C.'s duly elected local government adopted the vaccine mandates, and no Member of Congress has the right to interfere in these policy decisions."

This is the 7^th attack on D.C. vaccine mandates this Congress:

• 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.
• Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced a disapproval resolution that would block D.C.'s requirement that students receive COVID-19 vaccination.
• 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.
• 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. Norton defeated this resolution, which has since expired, and D.C.'s bill is now law.

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