Hoyer Statement on President Biden's Vaccination Directives for Federal Employees

WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today after President Biden announced new actions to ensure more Americans get vaccinated, including asking federal employees and onsite federal contractors to attest to their vaccination status:

"The consensus from doctors, researchers, and public health experts is clear: the more Americans who are vaccinated, the sooner we can defeat this virus and return to normalcy. The COVID-19 vaccines in use in our country have been demonstrated to be safe, effective, and life-saving. Dangerously, the former president and too many Republicans have politicized public health and discouraged many Americans from getting vaccinated – endangering their lives and making it harder for our country to overcome this public health challenge. They have spread falsehoods about the virus as well as the fact that this vaccine saves lives. If they had not acted so irresponsibly, we would likely not need to take the steps that are now necessary.

"With the delta variant of COVID-19 surging among the unvaccinated and causing some who are vaccinated to become infected, it is imperative that we ramp up vaccination in our country. President Biden is right to insist that those who serve the American people as federal employees, and those who work onsite as federal contractors, ought to be vaccinated or demonstrate negative test results on a regular basis. I encourage every American to get vaccinated, not only to protect against the spread of the delta variant but also to safeguard themselves against the likelihood of severe illness or death if they catch COVID-19. We must protect one another and those in our communities who are most vulnerable, and those serving in federal government must lead by example."