Congressman Cleaver Supports Administration’s Announcement of Workforce Vaccination Policies

(Kansas City, MO) – Yesterday, the Biden-Harris administration announced the details of two major workforce vaccination policies. Thanks to the administration's focus on increasing vaccination rates to combat the pandemic, 70 percent of adults in the United States are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19—up from less than one percent in January. The two new policies impacting the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) at the Department of Health and Human Services are intended to drive up vaccination rates, strengthen our economic recovery, and accelerate the end of the pandemic.

"Workforce vaccination policies have proven unequivocally to significantly increase vaccination rates—which will save lives, protect workers, strengthen our economy, and accelerate our return to normalcy," said Congressman Cleaver. "Making sure workplaces are safe for their employees is a responsibility that President Biden has taken seriously since day one, and requiring vaccinations among healthcare workers is a common-sense solution to keeping everyone out of harm's way – medical staff and patients alike. I support the administration's decision and encourage everyone to get their safe, free, and effective vaccine today."

For OSHA, the policy:

• Establishes a requirement for employers with 100 or more employees to ensure workers are fully vaccinated or test for COVID-19 at least weekly;
• Requires these employers to provide paid-time for employees to get vaccinated; and
• Ensures face masks are worn by unvaccinated individuals in the workplace.

OSHA has a strong 50-year record of requiring employers to take common-sense actions to prevent workers from getting sick or injured on the job. This rule will cover 84 million American workers.

For CMS, the policy:

• Requires healthcare workers at facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid to be fully vaccinated.

The rule applies to more than 17 million workers at approximately 76,000 health care facilities, including hospitals and long-term facilities.

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development, and Insurance; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Haydin Brady at 202-538-4326 or haydin.brady@mail.house.gov