US Senate rejects corporate vaccination request

The US Senate narrowly approved a resolution to rescind a requirement by President Joe Biden’s government that companies with 100 or more employees must have all of their workers vaccinated against the coronavirus or, failing that, take weekly diagnostic tests.

The vote was 52-48. The bill is unlikely to be received by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives, which means the injunction will hold, even though the courts have suspended it for now.

In any case, the vote afforded senators the opportunity to express their disapproval of a measure that, they say, has generated fear in their home countries among businesses and vulnerable voters, who fear they will lose their jobs if necessary. Effect.

Every now and then Washington does something that makes a fuss. Senator Steve Danes of Montana said. “I’m just hearing about this,” he said in his state, “that this is a priority.”

Lawmakers can bypass regulations for some federal agencies if the House and Senate pass a joint resolution signed by the president, or if Congress overrides a presidential veto. This is unlikely to happen in this case.

According to the initiative, private sector companies with at least 100 employees must require their workers to have a full COVID-19 vaccination plan or to undergo weekly coronavirus diagnostic tests and wear a mask at their workplace.

The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) said it would work with companies to enforce the order, but would impose fines of more than $13,000 for each violation, despite its implementation. Its monitoring is suspended as the case progresses through the judicial system.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Americans who have refused to vaccinate are the biggest obstacle to ending the pandemic. He hinted that some opposition to mandatory vaccinations is rooted in politics.

“Some of the antigens in this room remind me of what happened 400 years ago, when people clung to the fact that the sun revolved around the Earth. They don’t believe in science, or what happened 500 years ago when they were sure the Earth was flat,” Schumer said.