Mike Lee declares war on COVID-19 vaccines

Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) filed nine different bills on Thursday, each aimed at undermining efforts to get every American vaccinated against COVID-19.

Some of the bills would overturn efforts by President Joe Biden to require inoculation for federal employees. Some aim to block federal vaccine requirements that have not actually been proposed. One would require the government to treat people who have previously had COVID-19 as vaccinated, even though there is no scientific proof of long-lasting immunity for survivors.

His proposals are:

• S.2850, “a bill to exempt individuals from complying with a Federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate on the basis of a personal belief, and for other purposes”;

• S.2849, “a bill to stipulate that nothing in Federal law provides a Federal agency with the authority to mandate that an individual be inoculated by a COVID-19 vaccine”;

• S.2848, “a bill to exempt individuals with a personal health concern from complying with a Federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate”;

• S.2847, “a bill to prohibit the Federal Government from mandating vaccination against COVID-19 for interstate travel”;

• S.2846, “a bill to require Federal agencies to acknowledge, accept, and agree to truthfully present, natural immunity pertaining to COVID-19 pursuant to promulgating certain regulations”;

• S.2843, “a bill to prohibit the imposition of a fine, fee, or taxation on any person for violation of a COVID-19 vaccine mandate issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or any other executive agency”;

• S.2842, “a bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to prohibit the Secretary of Defense from requiring that members of the Armed Forces receive a COVID-19 vaccine”;

• S. 2841, “a bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to publicly disclose information regarding adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccines”; and

• S. 2840, “a bill to permit civil actions against the United States for COVID-19 vaccination mandates.”

As of Friday, not one of them has a single co-sponsor.

Lee announced in July that he had received a coronavirus vaccine, but he did not encourage his constituents to do the same.

“We should all be gracious to those around us who may decide to do differently than we do,” he urged. “But I encourage you to talk to your doctor and determine the best course of action for yourself and your family.”

He also joined with noted COVID-19 science denier Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) in fearmongering about possible harms from the vaccine, tweeting: “The best way to calm fears about COVID vaccines is to be open and forthcoming about possible side effects.”

In late June, Lee argued that the vaccine and even face masks should now be totally optional everywhere. “With the vaccine now free and widely available, Americans should be able to choose for themselves whether to receive it, whether to wear a mask, or whether to take their own precautions,” he said.

Last Monday, he accused Biden of authoritarianism for issuing an order requiring that workers in businesses with 100 or more employees either get vaccinated or a weekly COVID-19 test before coming into the workplace. “The President isn’t a King,” Lee complained. “He shouldn’t be able to rule by decree on vaccines or anything else, not in America.”

Lee’s actions come as his own state has struggled to contain the coronavirus pandemic. It ranks among the poorer states for vaccination rates and has had the 11th most cases per 100,000 people of any state in the country.

About 500,000 Utahans have tested positive to date, out of above 3.2 million residents. More than 2,800 have died.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.