In what was predictably a highly contested move, US President Joe Biden and his administration announced a federal vaccination mandate among private businesses. Although the move was blocked by a federal court, the White House said that businesses could resume mandating vaccinations for their employees.
The Biden White House Monday said that private businesses could go ahead with implementing a vaccination mandate, despite the ruling of a federal court to pause its implementation. The administration responded to the ruling of the mainly conservative New Orleans-based federal court by asking to lift the temporary pause.
“People should not wait,” said White House Deputy Press Secretary Karina Jean-Pierre during a briefing. “They should continue to move forward and make sure they’re getting their workplace vaccinated.”
The attorneys general of Republican states: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Utah, along with several private businesses and religious groups, filed to pause the mandate. They cited that the mandate exceeds the authority of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA to enforce the mandates. They also argued that the mandate is also an unconstitutional delegation of power to the executive branch by Congress.
The Biden administration in its response dismissed the claims of the petitioners, describing the filing to block as “premature” as the deadlines for vaccination and testing are not until January. The administration also argued that pausing the requirements “would likely cost dozens or even hundreds of lives per day” as the COVID-19 pandemic goes on. The Labor and Justice Departments also cited that OSHA acted within its authority that was established by Congress.
The Labor Department’s attorney Seema Nanda said Friday that the Biden administration is prepared to defend the requirements in court. Nanda reiterated that the policy gives OSHA the authority to act immediately in an emergency where the department finds that employees are subject to harm and thus a new standard is necessary for their protection.
In other related news, Biden is reportedly planning to host an in-person meeting with his counterparts in Mexico and Canada. The meeting is said to take place on November 18, and is the first of such meeting in three years. The leaders will likely be discussing immigration, the COVID-19 pandemic, and competitiveness.