Vaccine passports are un-American, unconstitutional, and unacceptable. No Iowan should be forced to get a vaccine in order to participate in normal life and exercise their most fundamental God-given rights. No Iowan should be forced to have a chemical injected into their body against their will, in order to be able to go to a grocery store, attend a baseball game or a movie, or travel freely in our country.
At the very core of our beliefs as Americans and Republicans is the right of free men and women to live their lives as they see fit, without the heavy hand of government dictating profoundly personal choices. Just as government prohibits employers and businesses from discriminating against Iowans based on race, gender, and other characteristics, so should government prohibit an emergency vaccine that has not passed normal protocols from being mandated as a condition of employment, travel, attendance at public events, or normal participation in society. It should be up to each individual to decide for themselves if they want to take the vaccine. This is not an anti-vaccine position in any way, but rather about allowing each individual to decide for themselves what is best for them.
I am working with other legislators to codify prohibitions against vaccine passports as it relates to Covid-19.
A bold stand for freedom in Iowa will ensure that Iowans and our fellow Americans across the country know that we stand for liberty and will not allow this profoundly disturbing level of government control to take hold.
Governor Kim Reynolds has taken that bold stand. It is with deep appreciation that I thank the Governor for her strong leadership in announcing that she opposes vaccine passports.
While I have not agreed with all of her decisions as it relates to COVID-19, the buck stops with her and no one else. It is easy to Monday-morning quarterback when the decisions are not yours to make, and many from all sides have done a great deal of quarterbacking.
We all know that Governor Reynolds has been faced with making incredibly hard decisions, weighing the importance of liberty with the need for public safety. She alone had to make these decisions, and her actions have been amongst the most restrained in the nation. Because of her measured response, Iowa is in far better shape than other states to face the future with optimism. Our budgets are balanced, our reserve and emergency funds are full, our economy is growing, and we can move boldly on initiatives to make Iowa even more prosperous, such as the Governor’s initiative to bring high-speed internet to all parts of Iowa. We can afford the investment because of hard-working Iowans, because of the fiscal restraint shown by Iowa Republicans, and because of responsible budgets advanced by Governor Reynolds that spent below the legal requirements, thus enabling investment in internet infrastructure to move Iowa forward.
Iowa was one of the first states to reopen during the pandemic. We were one of the first to get our children back to in-person learning in school. Our economy is ranked the best in the nation in its ability to respond to the economic challenges that lie ahead. Iowa had amongst the least restrictive responses in the nation. All of this is thanks to Governor Kim Reynolds and the hard decisions she had to make.
While we may not agree with every decision, and while many have legitimate concerns about the scope of emergency powers and the consequences to liberty, since Governor Reynolds will not always be our Governor, we can be thankful that we did have Governor Reynolds at the helm. As opposed to so many others who would still have us in lockdown, oblivious and uncaring about the consequences to families, businesses, and freedom, Governor Reynolds does care deeply. The hard decisions she has made reflect that fact.
In Iowa, we have reasons to be optimistic.
Balanced budgets. A growing economy, despite COVID and in contrast to many other states. The Freedom Amendment to add 2nd Amendment rights to the Iowa Constitution on the ballot in 2022. Constitutional Carry signed into law. Charter school expansion and continuing discussions on how to expand parental choice in education. Strong moves to protect free speech in our schools and stop Marxist indoctrination, hidden in Critical Race Theory, from being forced on our children. Legislation on the move to uphold the Rule of Law and support our law enforcement officers. The strongest voter integrity protections in the nation just signed into law. Ongoing discussions on how best to respond to big tech censorship. Continuing efforts to protect our unborn children. Promises made. Promises kept.
We have work to do and issues to resolve, but liberty and prosperity are on the march in Iowa, thanks to Republican leadership under Governor Reynolds.
