The Biden administration is using the matter of vaccine mandates as a political issue to divert from other issues such as the crisis with Russia and Ukraine and away from talk of inflation, Rep. James Comer said Thursday on Newsmax.
"Republicans aren't anti-vaccine," the Kentucky Republican said on Newsmax's "John Bachman Now." "We're anti-mandate, and we believe in freedom. We believe in the Constitution, and that's why Republicans are going to stand united and oppose this vaccine mandate coming from the Biden administration."
Members of the Senate voted 52-48 Wednesday to pass legislation to stop Biden's vaccine mandate for private entities, but Biden said he'll veto the measure if it passes in the House.
Meanwhile, the Build Back Better bill is expected to come up for a Senate vote soon, but Comer, like many opponents, said he's worried about what the influx of $2 trillion more in spending will do to the economy.
"I don't think the Democrats have a clue what to do about the economy," he said, after hearing a clip from billionaire Elon Musk speaking out about the increased government spending.
"The Republicans know the best thing we can do for the economy is get out of the way, and that's exactly what Elon Musk said," Comer said. "He's creating jobs. He's an innovator … he doesn't need the government to create some type of grant program for him to apply to do research and development.
"He just needs the government to get out of his way, and that's the thinking of just about every major employer in America. Just get out of the way. Stop spending money and stop passing regulations. Let us do what we do best, and that's to create jobs and innovate."
However, the Biden administration released a report this week describing the arts and antiquities markets as being vulnerable to financial crimes, and Comer said he agrees with that, particularly because of Hunter Biden and the sales of his paintings.
"I mean, it's a joke," said Comer. "You don't just start painting pictures and three weeks later start selling pieces of artwork for half a million dollars. China is involved in this. The White House should disclose who's purchasing this overpriced artwork from Hunter Biden. But yet they come out with statements like this, like, 'Oh we didn't even think about Hunter Biden being involved in this.' It's crazy."
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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