INDems’ Mike Schmuhl: “Indiana Republicans’ extreme agenda has made our state the most dangerous place to live during COVID-19. This is a tremendously sad mark for Indiana. Hoosier Democrats are once again willing to step up and be the adults in the room at a time when current leadership values partisan stunts over the sanctity of life.”

Democrats to make COVID-19 testing widely available at no cost while Indiana Republicans plan to make businesses pay for testing and create unsafe workplace conditions

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for the future of Indiana and its families, today issued the following statement by Mike Schmuhl, Chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party, in response to President Joe Biden’s updated guidance and fight against the COVID-19 pandemic ahead of the Christmas holiday: 

“Indiana Republicans’ extreme agenda has made our state the most dangerous place to live during COVID-19. This is a tremendously sad mark for Indiana. Hoosier Democrats are once again willing to step up and be the adults in the room at a time when current leadership values partisan stunts over the sanctity of life. 

Since the beginning of his presidency, Joe Biden made a promise to all Amerians – and all Hoosiers – to be honest and straightforward with them. This includes some tough calls this year to help our country in its ongoing fight against COVID-19. From passing the American Rescue Plan to pushing updated guidelines to get more Hoosiers vaccinated, President Biden is putting the health and safety of our families first by letting science and the life-saving vaccine protect us from this horrible virus. This very reason is why Indiana Democrats support the President’s updated strategy, which includes access to free COVID-19 testing before the Christmas holiday.

Indiana would be in much better shape in this fight against COVID-19 had the Indiana Republican Party taken the pandemic seriously and checked their extreme partisanship at the door. Instead, Hoosiers saw a year-long campaign to discredit the vaccine and an attitude that the scourge had passed. This includes the upcoming House Bill 1001 for next year’s legislative session, which would force the state’s business community to pay for COVID testing (putting workplace safety in jeopardy) and further devalue the vaccine’s strength with Hoosiers. HB 1001 couldn’t have come at a worse time as hospitalizations – the vast majority from unvaccinated Hoosiers – are at levels never seen before during the pandemic.”  

• Mike Schmuhl, Chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party

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