By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas First District Congressman Tracey Mann was in Hutchinson Wednesday.
"We're doing a manufacturing tour," Mann said. "We're basically meeting with manufacturing companies and business owners all across the district. Manufacturers are going through so much right now, trying to find employees, but also, supply chain issues, navigating vaccine mandates, other things. I really want to hear firsthand from them on the ground what's going on and what can be done to do all we can do to make sure that they are as successful as can be."
Mann said we still don't know all the details regarding proposed vaccine mandates, but his position has not changed.
"The government has no business mandating vaccines," Mann said. "What's happened is, President Biden has issued this executive order. OSHA is now in the rule writing process. They're going through writing the rules. I'm certain that it's going to be objected to in court. I'm hopeful that it will be found unconstitutional. We'll see what happens. Right now, it's in the rule writing process."
Mann introduced legislation pushing back against mandates. It is still in committee. Mann also knows businesses throughout the Big First are looking for workers.
"When we're in a situation where the federal government's providing more money for people to stay at home than to return to work, that's a big problem," Mann said. "Manufacturers, also agriculture, service industry, almost every industry is affected by this labor shortage we have right now. These vaccine mandates, by the way, will come along and make all of that much, much worse."
Enhanced federal unemployment benefits ended just about a month ago.