President Biden’s Authoritarian Vaccine Mandate Must Go

This week, I led Pennsylvania’s Republican Congressmen in sending a letter to Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, calling on him to follow the lead of his 26 colleagues to block President Biden’s vaccine mandate issued last week.

The letter reads: “We implore your office to explore all possible actions to prevent President Biden’s unconstitutional vaccine mandate from further harming Pennsylvania’s hardworking employers and employees. We strongly urge you to add the Commonwealth to any one of the legal efforts spearheaded by other states to nullify the mandate or initiate new legal action on behalf of the Commonwealth.”

Read the full text of the letter here.

I have heard from countless individuals across Pennsylvania’s Eleventh District who are concerned that they will be forced out of their jobs by President Biden’s vaccine mandate. President Biden has once again moved to infringe on Americans’ rights. This is a discussion that should be happening between an individual and their physician, not a command coming from the federal government.

I spoke with my doctor and ultimately chose to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and would encourage anyone with questions to talk to their medical professional about receiving the vaccine. We have achieved a substantial voluntary vaccination rate in Pennsylvania – 70 percent of adults are fully vaccinated. So why is this mandate needed now?

I will continue to fight against this misguided and authoritarian vaccine mandate. I have cosponsored several pieces of legislation regarding President Biden’s vaccine mandates: H.R.5908 introduced by Rep. Dr. Wenstrup, which would eliminate President Biden’s mandates on federal employees or contractors, H.Res.779 introduced by Rep. Gibbs expressing congressional disapproval of the private business mandate, and legislation to be introduced by Rep. Fred Keller utilizing the Congressional Review Act to block the mandate.

President Biden’s Thanksgiving Tax Will Impact the Holiday

There’s no denying it. President Biden’s 30-year high inflation is forcing American families to stretch every dollar in their budget as far as it will go. And it will impact Thanksgiving too.

Turkey prices are up 27% for a 15-pound bird. The prices for pumpkin pie, potatoes, carrots and other staples are up too. 

Joining Varney & Co. on Fox Business  

Last week, I joined Varney & Co. on Fox Business to discuss Democrats’ ludicrous giveaway to coastal elites and the wealthy by increasing the state and local tax (SALT) deduction. Biden & Pelosi don’t want to talk about it, but one of the costliest spending items in their massive multi trillion-dollar tax and spend plan—is a giveaway to the wealthy.

They’re proposing increasing the SALT deduction which would cost $300 billion with the lion’s share going to the already ultra-wealthy, according to the non-partisan and non-profit organization Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Even Sen. Bernie Sanders called their proposal “absurd.”

Watch my comments from Varney & Co. below:

Honoring and Thanking Our Veterans  

This week, we came together to honor and thank all who served in the United States Armed Forces. Thank you to all of our veterans for preserving and protecting our freedom.

America is the greatest country in the history of the world. We owe unending gratitude and honor to those who served. It was great to hear that message during a Veterans Day Ceremony in Millersville. 

It was hard not to be moved by such impressive patriotic display the Masonic Village in Elizabethtown. Thank you to those who organized an outstanding ceremony to honor those who wore the uniform in service to our nation and flag. 


York County is home to many heroes who served our nation in the armed forces. I appreciated the opportunity to meet so many outstanding veterans during the York County Veterans Affairs breakfast. Their service strengthened our nation and continues to strengthen our communities. 

From the Floor: Constituent Recognition

Thanks to Les Houck for fifty years of dedicated servant leadership to his community, including 48 years as a township supervisor in Salisbury Township in eastern Lancaster County. Click below to watch my remarks.

Earlier this month I spoke on the floor to honor EHD, of Lancaster, on the occasion of their business’s 125th anniversary. Congratulations on this impressive milestone!

Here to Help

Earlier this month, the Social Security Administration announced that the 2022 cost-of-living adjustment will be 5.9 percent for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. These increases will begin in January 2022 for Social Security recipients and on December 30, 2021 for SSI beneficiaries. Learn more by visiting the Social Security Administration’s website.   

The new application deadline for individuals impacted by the remnants of Hurricane Ida to register with FEMA is December 10, 2021. Please visit the FEMA website to learn more about available programs.

To any veteran, there is always support available at the Veterans Crisis Line. Call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1 or text 838255. Visit the Veterans Crisis Line website for more information.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has created a new online portal for Paycheck Protection Program borrowers with loans under $150,000 to apply for loan forgiveness directly through the SBA, rather than your loan servicer. 

If you have any questions or issues with a federal agency, please know that my office is here to assist you. You can call my district or Washington, DC offices for assistance or visit my website for any issue with a federal agency or department.

Stay Connected

To stay up-to-date on my work in the district and Washington, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You can also check out my YouTube page, where there are 100+ videos, many of which are direct responses to your questions.

Sincerely,

Lloyd Smucker