Politics

EXCLUSIVE: House Republicans Send Letter To Secretary Cardona Calling Against Federal Vaccine Mandate For Public School Students

Photo by Joshua Roberts/Getty Images

Henry Rodgers Chief National Correspondent
Font Size:

Republican Arkansas Rep. Bruce Westerman and a group of House Republicans sent a letter Wednesday to U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, expressing their opposition to a federal vaccine mandate for public school students.

Westerman spearheaded the letter, first obtained by the Daily Caller, and was joined by Republican Arkansas Reps. Steve Womack, French Hill and Rick Crawford. In the letter, the lawmakers say parents should be responsible for making decisions they believe are best for their children and that the Department of Education should not pursue a federal vaccine mandate for students.

“I led this letter to Secretary Cardona with the Arkansas House delegation to express our opposition to any kind of federal vaccine mandate the DOE may consider for public school students. These issues have historically, and properly, resided with states and local school boards. Parents should always be empowered to do what they believe is best for their children, and are able to directly hold local school boards and state officials accountable for their actions,” Westerman told the Daily Caller before sending the letter.

READ THE LETTER HERE: 

(DAILY CALLER OBTAINED) — … by Henry Rodgers

“America’s school children have been through an incredibly challenging two years. Arkansas’ schools have been a shining example of safely reopening without any intervention necessary from the federal government. It would be a mistake for the Department of Education to pursue a federal vaccine mandate,” Westerman added.

In the Senate, a group of Republicans introduced legislation that would protect Americans’ personal health records and prohibit a number of federal agencies from requiring proof of vaccination or the use of a vaccine passport. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Senate Republicans To Introduce Legislation To Block Federal Agencies From Requiring Proof Of Vaccination)

In late August, Biden urged more private sector companies to impose vaccine requirements after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Pfizer vaccine. (RELATED: Biden Pushes For Private Sector Companies To Impose Vaccine Requirements Following FDA Approval)

The Pentagon will require all military service members to get vaccinated against COVID-19.