Washington, D.C.— House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy Rodgers (R-WA) released the following statement regarding President Biden’s State of the Union remarks on the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) and Title 42: 

“The Biden administration has severely mismanaged its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, betraying the American people’s trust in our government health agencies. Unscientific mandates, a total lack of transparency, colluding with Big Tech to censor people, and authoritarian shutdowns have only made resentment and distrust in the government stronger. 

“President Biden, despite unequivocally declaring in September 2022 that the COVID-19 pandemic was over, has continued to extend the PHE and has increasingly abused emergency powers under this authority for far too long. Worse, he continued to send misleading and faulty signals to the American people about the risks of COVID-19. 

“Further, it is President Biden—and President Biden alone—who will make the disastrous decision to lift the Title 42 Order, letting thousands of migrants to flood across our borders. Despite misleading statements from the administration, the laws governing PHEs and Title 42 are completely separate. President Biden could easily reinstitute the Title 42 protections and keep Americans safe. If he chooses not to protect America’s border, he will own the outcome.” 

Note: Last week, the House passed H.R. 382, the Pandemic is Over Act, which would require the President to immediately end the COVID-19 PHE, and H.R. 497, the Freedom for Health Care Workers Act. Seven Democrats joined Republicans to pass H.R. 497. 

Shortly before the House brought it forth for consideration, President Biden announced that he would unwind the PHE on May 11, 2023. The President reportedly made the announcement because, “House Democrats were concerned about voting against the Republican legislation to end the public health emergency that is coming to the floor this week without a plan from the Biden administration.”