“Norton Vows to Defeat Cruz Bill Blocking D.C. Student Vaccine Mandate”

From Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton’s Office:

“Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said today that she would defeat the effort by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) to block a bill recently passed by the Council of the District of Columbia that requires students to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Cruz, who yesterday announced his intention to introduce a bill to block the mandate, is the fourth member of Congress to try to block a D.C. vaccine policy this Congress.

“Senator Cruz, who is a frequent violator of D.C. home rule, despite professing to support local control of local affairs, thinks he knows best how to keep D.C. students and schools safe,” Norton said. “The duly elected D.C. Council represents the nearly 700,000 D.C. residents, not Senator Cruz. I will defeat his latest attempt to abuse Congress’ authority over D.C., just as I have defeated all of his prior attempts.

This Congress, Representative Michael Cloud (R-TX) and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced a disapproval resolution that would have blocked D.C.’s bill that permits minors to receive a vaccine without parental consent from taking effect. Norton defeated this resolution, which has since expired, and D.C.’s bill is now law. Representative Pat Fallon (R-TX) has introduced a bill that would prohibit D.C. from requiring an individual to present documentation of COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of entering any building, facility or other venue in D.C. Norton is confident she will defeat the Fallon bill as well.

In prior Congresses, Cruz has introduced bills to interfere in D.C.’s public school system, antidiscrimination laws and health insurance laws.”