Mast: End the COVID Emergency Declarations

Rep. Brian Mast

Now that the vast majority of the fear surrounding the coronavirus pandemic has subsided, Republicans such as Representative Brian Mast (R-FL) are calling for the emergency declaration to be suspended indefinitely.

In a recent blog post, Rep. Mast brings up the fact that President Joe Biden (D) himself stated that the “pandemic is over” in September. Despite the fact that the Biden administration plans to end the emergency declarations in mid-May, Mast believes that the only reason they are not ended immediately is because the administration wants to hold on to the power it currently possesses.

“If the President believes that the pandemic is over, why is he waiting until May 11 to end the COVID-19 pandemic emergency declarations? There is no good explanation for it except the Biden Administration does not want to let go of the power it grabbed under the guise of “public health.” That power has allowed the President to do everything from increase Medicare payment rates to hospitals and dramatically expand food stamp benefits,” stated Rep. Mast.

Moreover, Republicans are not relying on their own outcries towards the Biden administration in order for the emergency declarations to end. On Wednesday, House Republicans passed a bill in order to end the declarations early.

“Enough is enough. Yesterday, with my support, the House of Representatives passed the Pandemic Is Over Act, which would terminate the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration and give the power back to the people. I will continue to fight to protect our God-given freedoms and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution,” said Mast.

Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL) also echoed the same sentiment on Wednesday.

“NEWSFLASH AMERICA: COVID IS OVER NOW, End the COVID emergencies. All that money that we have spent up during the pandemic is now in our baseline. You go in and take that money to pre-pandemic levels, that puts us on a much more sustainable financial path forward,” tweeted Donalds.

The Pandemic Is Over Act will make its way towards the Senate.

Jackson Bakich

Born in Orlando but raised in Lake County, Florida, Jackson Bakich is currently a senior at Florida State University. Growing up in the sunshine state, Bakich co-hosted the political talk radio show "Lake County Roundtable" (WLBE) and was a frequent guest for "Lake County Sports Show" (WQBQ). Currently, he is the Sports Editor of the FSView and the co-host of "Tomahawk Talk" (WVFS), a sports talk radio program covering Florida State athletics in Tallahassee.