This Texas Town Rejected Stimulus Money to Avoid Vaccine Mandates

The American Rescue Plan Act, which was signed by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021, allocated $19.5 billion in federal aid to municipalities with populations of less than 50,000.

Brady, Texas, population 5,500, was offered $1.3 million. But it turned the money down.

“Obviously we could have used the money, but at what cost?” Brady-based activist and lobbyist Sheila Hemphill told Reason.

Brady was one of at least 243 small towns across the country to reject or return the federal stimulus aid. Residents were concerned that in return for the money, the government would have the right to audit how the funds were used. They were also worried that the money would allow the Biden administration to force the town to comply with its executive order mandating vaccination for all employees at companies with more than 100 workers. Though it was later struck down by the Supreme Court, the order wouldn’t have had much of an impact on Brady regardless since its school district is the only organization in town large enough to be impacted.

For the residents of Brady, it was the principle that mattered.

“Today it’s about the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. But the big problem is it’s an executive order that could be who knows what, because that comes with the stroke of a pen,” said Hemphill.

Sixty-seven other Texas towns followed suit. Among them was Mason, which has a population of 2,400 and turned down $570,000.- READ MORE