Abstract

This paper discusses the feasibility of enacting H.R. 5860 in America and explores the issues surrounding this bill. Furthermore, the paper explores the issue of individual liberty and autonomy compared to advancing the social good as purported by mandatory vaccines. It explores the significance of H.R. 5860 to the nursing profession by stating that it would exempt essential workers from mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations. Correspondingly, the paper looks into the importance of the legislation by ascertaining that its enactment might infringe on individual liberty and autonomy and enhance the need for transparency in decision-making and ethical analysis of mandatory vaccination. This paper also explores the need to find a balance between protecting public health and autonomy and individual liberty. It also described the stages in ensuring that a bill becomes law at the state or federal levels. Similarly, the paper utilized government websites to track the progress of the H.R. 5860 bill, which is still under consideration by the Health subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce and the House Oversight and Reform. This paper also offered an opinion on the legislation’s merit, justifying the need for mandatory vaccinations to lower transmissions, mortality, and morbidity and safeguard the healthcare system’s capacity. Finally, the paper described the impact of H.R. 5860 on individuals, communities, and the nursing profession by stating that the lack of a mandate would result in health, public, and social disruptions.

Introduction

H.R. 5860 was introduced in the House of Representatives by Burchett Tim. The primary purpose of this bill is to exempt essential workers from mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations enforced by the federal government, contractors, private entities that got federal funds, and public institutions that got federal Covid-19 funds (Congress, 2022). Furthermore, H.R.5860 regards essential workers as individuals that ought to be exempted from Covid-19 response measures enacted by a territory, tribe, or state. The H.R.5860 bill is primarily related to health; however, mandatory vaccinations breach people’s right to choose what is good for their health. Cosponsors of the bill claim that when enacted, it will shield essential and frontline employees from forced vaccine regulations, allowing them to stay on the job and support our economic recovery. Although these vaccines are safe and effective, people should be encouraged to consult their physicians before getting them (Bardosh et al., 2022). Hence, supporters of this bill claimed that the President had overstepped by imposing vaccines on American citizens.

Issue Rectified by the Bill

Reports have proven that people can work, live, and perform their businesses safely during the pandemic without forcing hardworking citizens who support the healthcare industry, national security, and critical government functions from getting vaccines (Bardosh et al., 2022). Consequently, the government and various institutions have been known to enforce vaccination as a prerequisite for working in specific settings/roles (WHO, 2022). This enforcement breach people’s autonomy and liberty in deciding what is good for their health. Therefore, the H.R.5860 bill strives to uphold essential workers’ autonomy and liberty concerning their health while ensuring they are not laid off due to failure to get vaccines. However, some enforced policies are ethically justified as crucial laws aimed at protecting the wellbeing and the health of the public, contenders for the H.R. 5860 bill claim that policymakers need to consider the impact of mandating vaccinations on public trust and confidence.