Smucker Leads Letter Calling on AG Shapiro to Join Efforts to Block Biden Vaccine Mandate

Washington, DC – Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) is calling on Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro to follow the lead of his 26 colleagues who filed to block President Biden's vaccine mandate issued last week. Smucker was joined by Reps. Kelly, Thompson, Joyce, Reschenthaler, Keller, Meuser, Fitzpatrick and Perry in sending a letter to the Attorney General.

The letter reads: "We implore your office to explore all possible actions to prevent President Biden's unconstitutional vaccine mandate from further harming Pennsylvania's hardworking employers and employees. We strongly urge you to add the Commonwealth to any one of the legal efforts spearheaded by other states to nullify the mandate or initiate new legal action on behalf of the Commonwealth."

Read the full text of the letter here.

"I have heard from countless individuals across Pennsylvania's Eleventh District who are concerned that they will be forced out of their jobs by President Biden's vaccine mandate. President Biden has once again moved to infringe on Americans' rights. This is a discussion that should be happening between an individual and their physician, not a command coming from the federal government. I spoke with my doctor and ultimately chose to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and would encourage anyone with questions to talk to their medical professional about receiving the vaccine. We have achieved a substantial voluntary vaccination rate in Pennsylvania – 70 percent of adults are fully vaccinated. So why is this mandate needed now?" said Smucker. "I will continue to fight against this misguided and authoritarian vaccine mandate."

In addition to the letter, Rep. Smucker has cosponsored several pieces of legislation regarding President Biden's vaccine mandates: H.R.5908 introduced by Rep. Dr. Wenstrup, which would eliminate President Biden's mandates on federal employees or contractors, H.Res.779 introduced by Rep. Gibbs expressing congressional disapproval of the private business mandate, and legislation to be introduced by Rep. Fred Keller utilizing the Congressional Review Act to block the mandate.

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