Blackburn bill would exempt essential workers from firing for defying COVID vaccine mandates

FIRST ON FOX: Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn rolled out a measure Tuesday that would protect essential workers from being fired due to federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates, making them exempt from President Biden's executive order, amid layoffs and resignations from workers across different industries due to their unwillingness to receive a coronavirus vaccine. 

The legislation, titled "Keeping Our COVID-19 Heroes Employed Act," is co-sponsored by Republican Sens. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, Bill Haggerty of Tennessee, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Mike Braun of Indiana, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.

"Our essential workers are true heroes," Blackburn told Fox News. "For over 18 months, essential workers showed up to serve and protect their communities. Businesses across the country are desperate for workers and we are in the midst of a supply chain crisis. There are more than 10.4 million open jobs across the country, and now President Biden wants to fire even more workers. Getting vaccinated is a choice that should be made between a patient and their doctor. No one should be forced by Joe Biden to be fired or get jabbed."

The bill would "provide for an exemption" for "all essential workers" from COVID vaccine requirements imposed by the federal government, a public or private federal contractor, a private entity receiving federal funds, or a public entity receiving funding under the coronavirus CARES Act.