Holcomb responds to vaccine mandate: ‘Announcement from President Biden is a bridge too far’
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – On Thursday, President Joe Biden announced a coronavirus vaccine mandate.
Biden’s mandate makes the vaccine mandatory for all businesses with 100 or more employees or their employees will be required to be tested once a week. Companies found in violation of the mandate could face thousands of dollars in fines.
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Additionally, Biden signed an executive order requiring all government employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. However, government employees do not have the option of weekly testing.
The mandates could apply to as many as 100 million Americans.
The newly announced mandate from Biden is taking things too far, according to Gov. Eric Holcomb.
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On Friday, Holcomb released the following statement in response to Biden’s mandate:
I believe the vaccine is the number one tool that will protect us and our loved ones against COVID-19. It is the tool that will end the pandemic. However, I strongly believe it’s not the state or federal government’s role to issue a vaccine mandate upon citizens and private businesses. This is the approach our administration has taken all along. The announcement from President Biden is a bridge too far. Private businesses should be able to look at their own mission, their staff and their goals and make the decision best for them that will keep their doors open.
I believe it is fundamentally a citizen’s right to choose whether or not to get the vaccine. While I wish everyone would get the vaccine, we are a country built on this exact type of freedom.