The GOP may have finally found a way to END vaccine mandates in ALL states immediately, but it will cost them financially in the short term. A handful of Republican senators have threatened to shut down the government ahead of the Friday deadline over Joe Biden’s unconstitutional mandate.

Moments ago, the House passed a continuing resolution to fund the government through February 18. The final vote was 221-212. GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois was the only Republican to join Democrats in voting for the resolution. The resolution will now go to the Senate.

In order to extend funding into February, all 100 senators must vote to pass the plan before Friday. A single vote against the plan shuts down the government Friday night and into the weekend. A handful of Republican senators are already on board.

Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah was the latest member of the GOP conference to say Thursday afternoon that he’ll object to quick passage of the resolution.
“The only thing I want to shut down is enforcement of an immoral, unconstitutional vaccine mandate,” Lee said in Senate floor remarks.

Republican Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas also stood by his opposition, saying he would object to an effort to quickly pass a stopgap bill to keep the government open unless he gets an amendment vote to defund the Biden vaccine mandate on businesses at a 51-vote threshold. “Shutting down the government is worth saving the jobs in Kansas,” he said.

Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz also did not rule out holding up the continuing resolution over vaccine mandates when he spoke to CNN on Wednesday.

Asked whether he thinks the Senate will swiftly take up the continuing resolution once it passes the House, averting a shutdown, Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters Thursday morning, “I sure hope so.”

“We’re not going to shut the government down,” the top Republican said in an interview on Fox News, adding “That makes no sense for anyone. Almost no one on either side thinks it’s a good idea.”

If GOP Republicans follow through, tonight’s vote will be a warning shot to the Biden Administration, but they need to keep voting the budget down until the mandate is eliminated once and for all.