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Sens. Cruz, Cramer Introduce Bills to Ban Mask and Vaccine Mandates

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) today introduced the No Mask Mandates Act and No Vaccine Mandates Act. The No Mask Mandates Act ends the Biden administration's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mask mandate for all Americans-regardless of vaccination status. The No Vaccine Mandates Act would require people administering a COVID-19 vaccine to first obtain the patient's informed consent or, if the patient is a child, the informed consent of a parent or guardian. The bill also imposes civil penalties for violating a patient's right by vaccinating against COVID-19 without consent.

Upon introduction of these bills, Sen. Cruz said:

"Thanks to vaccinations and the natural immunity of Americans who have recovered from COVID-19, America is reopening. America is recovering, our kids are going back to school, and small businesses are returning as our nation's economic heartbeat. At the same time, President Biden is imposing unscientific and burdensome mandates to control Americans' lives.

"We as a country have taken extraordinary steps to defeat this disease, and I'm proud we've taken these steps. Unfortunately, we have also imposed enormous harms on our economy and people's lives and livelihoods, and we need to balance all of this appropriately. My view on vaccines is simple. I got the vaccine because it was the right choice for me. But I also believe in individual freedom. No one should force anyone to take the vaccine-including the federal government or an employer. Americans should have the choice to make their own medical decisions in consultation with their doctor.

"To protect the rights and privacy of Americans, I've introduced legislation that would prohibit federal COVID mandates. This means no mask mandates, no vaccine mandates, and no vaccine passports. My legislation also provides civil rights protections for employees from their employers, to stop discrimination based on vaccination status. The American people must have the freedom to exercise personal choice when it comes to protecting their health and the health of their families."

Sen. Cramer added:

"When it comes to handling COVID-19, Americans are self-governed people who have more than enough information available to them on how to talk to their doctor and figure out what is best for themselves and their families. Efforts by the Biden Administration and its allies to bully or force people to comply with mask and vaccine mandates - even though their guidance has been inconsistent and haphazard throughout the pandemic - will only succeed at infringing upon the rights of the American people. Our legislation would protect Americans by preventing the federal government from allowing itself to make these important decisions on their behalf."

BACKGROUND
The No Mask Mandates Act of 2021 would:

  • End President Biden's Executive Order related to mask mandates on public property.
  • End the CDC's mask mandate affecting transportation while also prohibiting implementation of similar federal mandates in the future.
  • Apply to all Americans regardless of their vaccination status.
  • Ensure no use of taxpayer funds to enforce any federal mask mandate in response to COVID-19.

The No Vaccine Mandates Act contains several important provisions to protect the health privacy and liberty of Americans, including:

  • No vaccine mandates: This bill protects the right of personal autonomy and advance informed consent by prohibiting vaccine mandates, making it unlawful to require someone to receive any COVID-19 vaccine originally approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) without first obtaining the patient's informed consent. That includes all COVID-19 vaccines currently approved in the United States.
  • Protects Parents Rights: The bill protects the rights of parents and guardians by requiring any person or entity administering the vaccine to obtain parental consent before administering a COVID vaccine to individuals under 18 years of age. Under this bill, schools cannot give underage students a vaccine without first getting legal guardians' permission.

Sen. Cruz has led the fight against COVID mandates in the Senate. In May, Sen. Cruz introduced the No Vaccine Passports Act to stop the federal government from establishing COVID-19 vaccine passports or working with third parties to establish their vaccine passports, such as airlines or other global entities.

Read the full text of the No Vaccine Mandates Act here and the No Mask Mandates Act here.

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