Biden signs bill terminating COVID emergency

President Joe Biden signed H.J. Res 7 Monday, a bill to terminate the national COVID emergency that was declared by President Donald Trump March 13, 2020.

Congress presented the bill to Biden earlier this month, even though Biden had said he would let the COVID emergency lapse May 11, when the current authorization expires.

Rather than take Biden’s word for it, Congress voted to terminate the emergency immediately, and Biden signed the bill. The COVID-19 emergency is over.

Read the one-page bill here

Though the U.S. House passed the termination bill 220-197, Michigan’s congressional delegation opposed the bill down party lines. The seven Democrats voted no. They are:

• Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor
• Dan Kildee, D-Flint
• Hillary Scholten, D-Grand Rapids
• Elissa Slotkin, D-Lansing
• Haley Stevens, D-Birmingham
• Shri Thanedar, D-Detroit
• Rashida Tlaib, D-Dearborn

The six Republicans voted yes, in favor of termination. They are:

• Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet
• Bill Huizenga, R-Holland
• John James, R-Farmington Hills
• Lisa McClain, R-Bruce Township
• John Moolenaar, R-Caledonia
• Tim Walberg, R-Tipton

The only member of Congress from Michigan to cross party lines was Sen. Gary Peters, one of 68 senators to vote to terminate the emergency. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, also a Democrat voted no. Peters has changed his position on ending the emergency. He and Stabenow both voted no on a November termination bill that passed the Senate 62-36. 

H.J. Res 7 is only the third bill signed into law by Biden in 2023. Public Act 1 disapproves changes in the Washington, D.C., local criminal code that loosened penalties for violent offenses. Public Act 2 declassified intelligence reports on the origins of COVID-19.

The White House made a brief announcement Monday. With Biden’s signature, the emergency ended immediately.