Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz introduced a bill that would prohibit schools from mandating the COVID-19 vaccine to minors if they receive federal, state, or local government funding.
The legislation was introduced one week after the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) authorized emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine among children aged 5-11 and the same day that President Joe Biden set a deadline for businesses with 100+ employees to institute mandatory vaccination or weekly COVID testing.
Cruz claims that Biden has overstepped his legal boundaries and “ignored medical privacy rights” of Americans.
“President Biden and his administration have repeatedly ignored medical privacy rights and personal liberty by pushing unlawful and burdensome vaccine mandates on American businesses, and now they are preparing to push a mandate on kids by pressuring parents — all without taking into account relative risk or the benefits of natural immunity,” Cruz said in a statement.
My view on the COVID-19 vaccine has remained clear: no mandates of any kind.
I’m proud to introduce legislation to ensure President Biden and his administration stay out of decisions related to a child’s health—decisions best left to parents.
https://t.co/i2qGwoq6Mt— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) November 4, 2021
“Parents should have the right to decide what is best for their children in consultation with their family doctor,” the Senator continued.
Texas Republican Rep. Lance Gooden told the Daily Caller exclusively that he is set to introduce similar legislation in the house on Thursday.
“The Biden Administration’s track record suggests it is only a matter of time before they mandate public schools require COVID vaccination,” Gooden said. “I believe the decision to vaccinate a child should be made by the parents, not the government, and my legislation would ensure the government does not take that choice away.”
The Biden administration is pushing for mandatory vaccines in schools and, more recently, in private businesses with more than 100 employees. (RELATED: Small Businesses Nationwide Sue Biden Administration Over Vaccine Mandate)
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued the rules on Nov. 4. Unvaccinated workers must wear masks in workspaces beginning Dec. 5 and must provide weekly COVID tests beginning on Jan. 4.