Oil patch bits: US Sen. Dan Sullivan applauds Alaska Railroad

Petroleum News

In an Oct. 29 interview with Stu Varney on Fox Business Network, U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, praised Alaska Railroad Corp. for rescinding its initial vaccine mandate for its employees pending the outcome of legal challenges to President Biden’s order.

Sullivan urged employers across the country not to fire their employees who are out of compliance with the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates, which Sullivan contends are unconstitutional.

“We all want to put the COVID-19 pandemic behind us, and I’ve encouraged everyone to get vaccinated, in consultation with their doctor. But the president of the United States does not have the constitutional or statutory authority to mandate vaccinations,” said Sullivan.

“In 2020, a key principle that congressional Democrats and Republicans and the Trump administration committed to was ensuring businesses that receive pandemic relief retain their workers. Joe Biden is now taking a sledgehammer to that connection, telling American businesses to fire employees who do not comply,” he said.

“Forcing employers to fire thousands of Americans right before the holidays is wrong and unthinkable. I’m glad to see a movement of employers, like the Alaska Railroad Corporation, standing up and rejecting these mandates, and I’ll continue to encourage others to stand by their hard-working employees,” Sullivan said.

Editor’s note: Some of these news items will appear in the next Arctic Oil & Gas Directory, a full color magazine that serves as a marketing tool for Petroleum News’ contracted advertisers. The next edition will be released in March.