By Charles Boothe, Bluefield Daily Telegraph
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., wants to unmask children enrolled in the federal Head Start program.
The West Virginia lawmaker joined a coalition of Republicans Wednesday in demanding that the Biden Administration rescind its “one-size-fits-all” mask mandate on Head Start programs. According to Capito, children two years of age and older in Head Start programs are still being required by Biden to wear masks — even when they are outside on the playground.
She joined a coalition of Republican lawmakers — led by U.S. Senators John Thune, R-S.D. and Richard Burr, R-N.C., in urging U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to rescind the federal mask mandate on young children enrolled in Head Start.
Because Head Start is a federal program, a Health and Human Services Interim Final Rule (IRF) is still in effect that requires all staff and volunteers in Head Start educational facilities to be vaccinated and requires all staff, volunteers, and children two years of age and older to wear masks…