WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, following the Federal Reserve publishing its latest Beige Book report for October 2021, Senator Rick Scott released the following statement. In its report, the Federal Reserve found that vaccine mandates were widely cited by businesses as the reason for low labor supply and hiring and retention issues. The report states, “Transportation and technology firms saw particularly low labor supply, while many retail, hospitality, and manufacturing firms cut hours or production because they did not have enough workers. Firms reported high turnover, as workers left for other jobs or retired. Child-care issues and vaccine mandates were widely cited as contributing to the problem, along with COVID-related absences.” For weeks, Senator Scott has called for President Joe Biden to reverse his decision to implement unconstitutional vaccine mandates on America’s private businesses.

Senator Rick Scott said, “The Federal Reserve admitted what I have been warning about for weeks: Joe Biden’s unconstitutional vaccine mandates are causing higher turnover, driving Americans out of their jobs and further fueling the devastating supply chain and inflation crises plaguing American families. I had COVID and got the vaccine. While I encourage others to do the same, that was my personal choice. Getting the vaccine should be the personal choice of every American and government has no right to force this decision on them. Everything Joe Biden does makes things worse for families and businesses in Florida and across America. President Biden must rescind his proposed unconstitutional vaccine mandate. I’ll never stop fighting to stop Biden’s fear-mongering, socialist madness.”

This week, Senator Scott spoke on the Senate floor and requested unanimous consent on four separate bills which would prevent the federal government from mandating vaccines for eligible Americans to receive federal benefits including Social Security and Social Security disability checks, Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP, public housing and other assistance from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), food stamps, the federal Women, Infants and Children (WIC) food assistance program and free-and-reduced lunch. Senate Democrats blocked the passage of each of these bills.

Earlier this month, Senator Scott wrote an op-ed for Fox Business and spoke on the Senate floor on how the Biden administration’s latest vaccine mandate for private companies will further cause workforce shortages, continue to cripple supply chains, and worsen the ongoing inflation crisis that is to blame for the increase of prices on everyday goods. In Washington, Senator Scott continues to fight for the rights of every American family. His Prevent Unconstitutional Vaccine Mandates for Interstate Commerce Act will protect the privacy of Americans’ personal health information and prevent the government from dictating what is best for Americans and their families in order to go to work.

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