Political Quotes

“This amendment that I am offering prohibits any of the funding in the MILCON-VA appropriations bill from being used to carry out what I believe are unnecessary and unscientific COVID-19 vaccine mandates at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Now, there has been some confusion about this. Some people have said, oh, well, that is not really still going on. Well, I just got an email from the VA today saying, yes, it is. There still are vaccine mandates that are being carried out at the VA and, to the best of my knowledge, it is the last remaining Federal vaccine mandate, and it needs to end. Most Federal vaccine mandates ended in May of 2023, with the end of the public health emergency. The VA, though, was one of the few agencies to leave the mandate in place. VHA Directive 1193.01, COVID-19 Vaccination Program for VHA Healthcare Personnel, outlines the policy and guidance for mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for Veterans Health Administration healthcare personnel is still in effect. The mandate applies to EMS personnel, nurses, nursing assistants, physicians, technicians, therapists, phlebotomists, pharmacists, health professions trainees, clerical, dietary, environmental services, laundry, security, maintenance, engineering and facilities management, administrative, billing, and even volunteers. If you want to volunteer at the VA, you better get a jab. The COVID vax mandate is unnecessary. It hurts healthcare workers.…”