November 17, 2022
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and a handful of other Democrats sent shockwaves across social media on Tuesday after apparently voting with Republicans to terminate the COVID-19 national emergency declared by former President Donald Trump in March 2020 as the virus shuttered the nation and much of the world. Schumer’s office
later told reporters that his “yea” vote was mistakenly recorded — including on his own website — and his vote was actually a “nay.” Other top Democrats still voted with the GOP.
In a
61-37 vote, 11 Democrats joined 49 Republicans in voting for a joint resolution to bring the pandemic national emergency declaration to an end. Unless there were other “mistakes,” the Democrats voting with Republicans include Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota), Sen. Tim Kaine (Virginia)
and others. Progressive observers were outraged, arguing the pandemic is far from over with winter threatening a surge in COVID cases along with other respiratory illnesses that could destabilize an already stressed health care system.
However, there appears to be some confusion not only over who voted for what, but also over two different declarations. Trump reluctantly declared a “national emergency” in
March 2020 after the World Health Organization designated COVID a global pandemic, but an earlier order
signed by Trump’s health czar at the Department of Health and Human Services declared a “public health emergency” in January 2020 as the virus threatened to sweep across the United States. Both declarations give the federal government emergency powers to intervene in state policy in order to meet urgent medical needs.
The Senate’s joint resolution would only affect the national emergency declared by Trump and was passed by simple majority under the Senate’s executive oversight rules. The Biden administration
recently announced another 60-day extension of the public health emergency, which gives the federal government power to expand Medicaid coverage, nutrition assistance, and other benefits often provided by state governments for the duration of the pandemic.
The White House also said President Joe Biden would veto the Senate resolution to terminate the national emergency declaration, and House Democrats may choose to ignore the resolution for the remainder of their term in the majority. In a statement, the White House said the national emergency provides the federal government with authority ensure that “necessary supplies” are readily available as winter approaches and the health care system remains under stress. The order allows millions of people to
receive free tests, treatments and vaccines through federal and state programs.