Chairman Scott Applauds Biden Effort to Save American Lives, Keep Businesses Open
WASHINGTON – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued an emergency workplace safety standard requiring employers with 100 or more employees to ensure all their workers are vaccinated or produce a negative test on a weekly basis.
“The Biden Administration’s emergency workplace safety standard is a turning point in the fight against COVID-19. As more than 1,200 Americans continue to die every day from COVID-19, I applaud President Biden and the Department of Labor for taking decisive action to protect our workers, families, and businesses.
“For decades, vaccine requirements have been used in all 50 states to eradicate highly contagious diseases, from polio to smallpox. Over the past few months, employers across the country have demonstrated that workplace vaccination policies can successfully lower the number of unvaccinated individuals; these policies are critical to ending the pandemic.
“Low-wage, hourly, and frontline workers have been particularly hard hit by the pandemic. The Biden Administration’s requirement that employers provide their workers paid time off to get vaccinated is a critical piece of today’s announcement.
“More than 18 months since the start of the pandemic, workers across the country are still suffering preventable illnesses and deaths from COVID-19. The Biden Administration is demonstrating the leadership that this moment requires. Workplace vaccination policies will save lives, protect our economic recovery, and help us finally get things back to normal.
“I look forward to working with the Administration to ensure this emergency workplace safety standard is implemented effectively and fulfills its promise of protecting workers and their families.”
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