Press Releases

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO) released the following statement today in response to the Biden administration’s January 4^th vaccine deadline for millions of private sector workers:

“Just yesterday, Committee Republicans met with stakeholders from across the supply chain for a candid, roundtable discussion on what federal policies and actions are making it harder for workers and businesses to overcome the ongoing supply chain crisis.  Fears about the massive impact of a vaccine mandate was one of the very first issues brought up in our discussion.

“If implemented, the vaccine mandate will cause untold additional disruptions throughout the entire supply chain.  We could see up to 37% of truckers decide to look for other jobs.  If even a fraction of that number of drivers leave their jobs, when we’re already facing a shortage of 80,000 truckers, the results will be incredibly destructive.  I have similarly grave concerns about port workers who could be induced to leave at a time when port congestion is being seen and felt by businesses and consumers everywhere.  Wholesale-distributors worry they’ll be unable to keep products moving through their warehouses because of the number of workers they could be forced to terminate.  The timing couldn’t be worse.  Thousands of workers who have been critical to the economy throughout the COVID pandemic are faced with this threat with the holidays now quickly approaching.

“Just three weeks ago, the President told the private sector to ‘step up’ and address the supply chain crisis, but now he’s preparing to cripple their ability to deliver on what he’s asking of them.  The President needs to step up and stop stifling businesses’ efforts to recover from a crisis that his policies are making worse.  His administration’s refusal to acknowledge the rejection of his radical policies like this at the polls will continue delivering disastrous economic effects.”

The administration’s latest vaccine mandate announcement comes just one day after Graves held a roundtable with stakeholders from various points in the supply chain to gather insights about the ongoing issues and challenges they are facing in this crisis.