COVID subcommittee head says mandates were 'unscientific' and 'unconstitutional'

Chairman Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, slammed mandates instituted during the COVID-19 pandemic as "unscientific" and said all levels of government "arguably ignored constitutionally" protected rights. 

"Unfortunately, federal, state, and local governments and agencies continued to enact restrictive policies that arguably ignored constitutionally granted individual rights and liberties," Wenstrup said in prepared remarks for Tuesday's hearing, titled, "Churches vs. Casinos: The Constitution is not Suspended in Times of Crisis."

The government instituted international travel restrictions, schools were closed, people were forced to wear masks and the Biden administration issued mass vaccination orders during the pandemic, Wenstrup pointed out. 

"These mandates were unscientific, did not consider previous infection, and were most of all unconstitutional. The President never had the authority to issue such a directive," he also said. 

House Republicans argue that the government should learn from pandemic-era mistakes in order to best protect civil liberties during future crises. 

Madeleine Hubbard is an international correspondent for Just the News. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram.