Freedom for Health Care Workers Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 497, which would actually endanger the lives of frontline healthcare workers, patients, and their families.

We have been fighting the COVID-19 pandemic now for nearly 3 years. Sadly, we have lost over 1 million Americans to this horrendous coronavirus.

Thankfully, we have turned the corner, in large part by making safe, effective, and rigorously tested vaccinations available to all Americans. These lifesaving vaccines help save lives. They help prevent unnecessary hospitalizations and severe illness, as well.

Perhaps nowhere is vaccination more important than for our healthcare heroes who care for our neighbors every day. Vaccination is a vital tool to protect them and to help end the pandemic.

Don't take it from me. Listen to the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Family Physicians who support the vaccination for healthcare workers.

They say that halting vaccination for healthcare professionals would severely and irreparably harm patients and undermine the patient-public interest.

They say the science is clear: No arguments against the need for vaccination are medically valid. Vaccines are our way out of the pandemic. No other measure has been shown to reduce hospitalizations, severe disease, and death to the degree that vaccination does. We must continue to let science lead the way.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my Republican colleagues not to confuse Americans, or worse, endanger their lives. Vote ``no'' on this reckless bill.

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