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US Sens. Ted Cruz, Kevin Cramer introduce bills to ban mask, vaccine mandates

FILE - In this April 20, 2021, file photo, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, listens during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on voting rights, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Republicans trying to drive a wedge between Democrats and chip away at President Joe Bidens support are zeroing in on the violence in the Middle East. Cruz and Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, both potential White House hopefuls in 2024, have focused in particular on Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and other progressives for criticizing Israel amid an escalating volley of missiles and airstrikes in Hamas-controlled Gaza that has killed hundreds of civilians over the last week. (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool via AP, File) (Evelyn Hockstein)

AUSTIN – U.S. Republican Senators Ted Cruz and Kevin Crammer introduced two bills Monday that will ban mask and vaccine mandates.

The No Mask Mandates Act would end the mask mandate for Americans, regardless of vaccination status, according to the release. The No Vaccine Mandates Act would require people administrating 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, according to the release. The bill would also impose civil penalties for violating a patient’s right by vaccinating against COVID-19 without consent.

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To read more about the No Vaccine Mandates Act, click here, and to read more on the No Mask Mandates Act, click here.

Cruz released the following statement:

“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.”

Cramer released the following statement:

“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.”


About the Author
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Award-winning journalist, mother, YouTuber, social media guru, millennial, mentor, storyteller, University of Houston alumna and Houston-native.

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