As tension continues to increase in the United States regarding COVID-19 vaccine mandates, Florida Rep. Daniel Webster (R) has offered an amendment “to mitigate COVID-19 risks at the border.” The amendment comes at a time when protests have erupted across the country concerning health care workers who oppose vaccine mandates.
However, one concern for lawmakers has been the spread of COVID-19 in relation to the border. Since President Biden assumed office, states like Florida and Texas have been at odds with the President on the topic of the southern border, and lawmakers are now continuing to press on the dangers of COVID-19 being spread at the border.
On social media, the Sunshine State lawmaker informed that he “offered an amendment directing FEMA to develop a plan to mitigate COVID-19 risks at the border and requiring GAO to conduct a review to ensure best practices are being followed.” Webster added that “according to DHS IG report, there’s no real testing or vaccination of incoming migrants.”
Today, I offered an amendment directing FEMA to develop a plan to mitigate COVID-19 risks at the border and requiring GAO to conduct a review to ensure best practices are being followed.
According to DHS IG report, there's no real testing or vaccination of incoming migrants.— Daniel Webster (@RepWebster) September 14, 2021
Contention between Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R), Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) and the President was reignited when the President commented that both Governor should “get out of the way of the people who are trying to do the right thing.”
In response, Governor DeSantis commented that Biden has “imported more virus from around the world by having a wide-open southern border.”
DeSantis doubled down on the claim, arguing that the President’s “facilitating who knows what new variants are out there,” adding that “whatever variants are around the world, they’re coming across that southern border.”
For now, there are no vaccine mandates at the border, and lawmakers have shared that it’s a concern they are closely monitoring.
Earlier this month, President Biden rolled out new vaccine mandates that generated praise from Democrats and dissent from Republicans.
