Rep. Jim Baird votes NO on reinstating pilots who were fired for not getting the Covid-19 experimental vaccines

THORNTOWN, Indiana | Monday, July 24, 2023: U.S. Rep. Jim Baird voted NO on an amendment to the FAA bill last week that would require airlines to re-hire pilots who’d been fired for not getting the Covid vaccine.

“No voter in the 4th Congressional District should vote to re-elect someone who thinks our airline pilots should be fired for not wanting to get an experimental vaccine,” said Charles Bookwalter, a former Green Beret who is challenging Baird in the Republican primary in 2024.

“Americans should not be forced by the government or their employer to have anything injected into their bodies,” Bookwalter added. “This is a serious violation of our individual liberty and it opens the door to the worst tyranny.”

The amendment to reinstate pilots fired for not getting the vaccine was introduced by Rep.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., and offered on the House floor by Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill.

It failed after 83 Republicans in the House, including Baird, joined Democrats in voting NO.

“Several pilots were fired for not getting the Covid vaccine, but many others quit or took early retirement in order to not have to get this experimental shot, contributing to a serious pilot shortage that has hurt our economy,” said Bookwalter. “We can never let this happen ever again. We should be sticking up for our pilots, who keep us safe in the skies, instead of allowing them to be bullied by being forced to choose between an experimental vaccine and a paycheck.”

Bookwalter also pointed to Baird’s vote for the FAA authorization bill, which gives the agency $103 billion over the next five years.

“It’s an outrageous amount of money,” said Bookwater. “The bill is filled with pet projects and completely unnecessary spending and I would have voted NO.

“Across the county, every small business is looking at their budgets every year, looking at how to trim,” he added. “Republicans should be fighting to cut spending every year, instead of voting for big increases.”

Bookwalter lives in northern Boone County with his wife and three daughters. He announced his run for Congress on May 21 and in the first 40 days since announcing, raised almost $40,000 — all from individual donors.

CONTACT:
Bookwalter for Congress
PO Box 43
Thorntown, IN 46071
ph (765) 670-1221
Margaret Menge, campaign manager: ph (812) 369-4325

bookwalterforcongress.com