Latest News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Health Subcommittee Republican Leader Brett Guthrie (R-KY) released the following statement about President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate for Medicare and Medicaid providers.

“Is President Biden listening to the providers nationwide raising the alarm that health care workforce shortages are deeply hurting patient care? Our committee just heard from one about rising turnover, recruitment challenges, and burnout among nurses, doctors, and staff. This provider said a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach and a vaccine mandate from Washington, D.C. will make these problems worse. He’s not alone. We’re listening to people in Washington state and Kentucky who tell us the same thing. Our health care workers have been serving as frontline heroes during this pandemic. They deserve our gratitude—not mandates that force them to make a choice to comply with the federal government or lose their livelihoods altogether.

“In the days ahead, we will look at all options, including a Congressional Review Act resolution led by Rep. Jeff Duncan and Energy and Commerce Republicans, which would nullify the rule and protect our nation’s frontline health care workers and the patients they serve. The Biden Administration’s public notice and comment rule-making process for this controversial and significant rule fails to incorporate the input of doctors, nurses, hospitals, or the patients who rely on our nation’s health care workforce for their care.” 

NOTE: On October 26, 2021, the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee held a legislative hearing about workforce issues in the health care sector. 

WATCH Alan Levine, Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Ballad Health, explain to Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) how a vaccine mandate will harm patient care.

###