Daines’ Effort to Strike Down Vaccine Mandate Passes U.S. Senate

On Wednesday, Dec. 8, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines’ legislative effort to rescind President Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate against private businesses passed the U.S. Senate. Daines has been fighting back against Biden’s business vaccine mandate that would impact Montana small businesses and could force nearly 130,000 Montanans out of work. Daines has also been working to push back against Biden’s other vaccine mandates like the ones impacting health care workers and federal contractors.

“While I’m pro-vaccine, I’m strongly anti-mandate. President Biden’s overreaching COVID-19 vaccine mandates are a threat to Montana small businesses and workers,” Daines said. “Today, the Senate passed my effort to strike down Biden’s vaccine mandate on private businesses, which is good news … however, I will not stop fighting until all of Biden’s mandates that are hurting our small businesses and workers are blocked.”

A few weeks ago, Daines and Republican colleagues announced an effort to strike down Biden’s private business mandate under the Congressional Review Act. A CRA is a process for Congress to eliminate an executive branch rule. To pass, a CRA only needs 51 votes in the Senate, which was secured today. Senator Manchin was the first Democrat to break party ranks and join Republicans in this effort, ensuring it would pass the Senate. The CRA must be passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and signed into law by President Biden to take effect.