June 23, 2020 | Pennsylvania General Assembly |
“Let me be clear that neither the governor, BMC or any level of government has the authority to force citizens to wear face masks…”
HARRISBURG — House Environmental Resources and Energy Majority Chairman Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) opened Tuesday’s voting meeting with the following statement regarding face mask mandates:
“Many of us who served in our military forces trained for nuclear, biological and chemical warfare. During training exercises we were required to put on our protective masks and we were not allowed to remove them until we were told. Those who serve and those of us who served in the military gave up some of our rights to defend yours, gave up some of our freedom to protect yours!
“The Bipartisan Management Committee (BMC) recently adopted a policy to mandate legislators wear masks. Many who are advocating that citizens be required to wear masks are from the ‘my body, my choice crowd’ who support abortion on demand.
“They support terminating the lives of the unborn as a choice, even though the life they are destroying is created by God with a unique and distinct genetic body that is different from the individual choosing life or death.
“Although ‘my body, my choice’ really does apply to wearing a face mask, it is a fact that throughout the course of COVID-19, guidance on wearing face masks has been conflicting.
“Let me be clear that neither the governor, BMC or any level of government has the authority to force citizens to wear face masks. Wearing a mask in this committee meeting remains the choice of the individual. Your body, your choice!”