Supreme Court Blocks Biden Vaccine Mandate
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
WASHINGTON (Worthy News) – The U.S. Supreme Court has blocked American President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate for large employers in a move welcomed by his predecessor and activists who claimed the president behaved like a king.
However, the Supreme Court allowed a more modest mandate, requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for health care workers at facilities receiving federal money.
The employer mandate would force workers at businesses with 100 or more employees to get vaccinated or submit a negative COVID test weekly to enter the workplace. It also required unvaccinated workers to wear masks indoors at work.
Parts of the rule, which the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued in November, had been scheduled to take effect on Monday.
“Although Congress has indisputably given OSHA the power to regulate occupational dangers, it has not given that agency the power to regulate public health more broadly,” the court wrote in an unsigned opinion.
“Requiring the vaccination of 84 million Americans, selected simply because they work for employers with more than 100 employees, certainly falls in the latter category,” the court explained.
TRUMP PLEASED
In a reaction, former President Trump said the Supreme Court, packed with conservative judges he appointed, confirmed that “Biden’s disastrous mandates are unconstitutional.”
Trump noted that “Biden promised to shut down the virus, not the economy, but he has failed miserably on both. And mandates would have further destroyed the economy. We are proud of the Supreme Court for not backing down. No mandates!”
That sentiment was shared by groups who view themselves as freedom fighters, including the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, and advocacy group.
Heritage President Kevin Roberts said the “federal government has no business dictating the private and personal health care decisions of tens of millions of Americans.”
Roberts stressed that the government also doesn’t have the authority “to coerce employers into collecting protected health care data on their employees.”
By striking down the “Biden regime’s unlawful COVID-19 vaccine mandate, the Supreme Court signaled its agreement with this basic tenet of a well-functioning and free society,” he added.
FIRST LIBERTY
First Liberty Institute, a non-profit Christian conservative law organization, agreed. It represented three faith groups challenging the mandates, including the American Family Association, Answers in Genesis, and Daystar Television Network
First Liberty Institute President, CEO, and Chief Counsel Kelly Shackelford had called the mandate “unconstitutional.” He said his organization is “pleased that the Supreme Court is preventing this unconstitutional mandate from going into effect.”
However, “we hope the court will strike it down to avoid a Constitutional crisis,” Shackelford added. President Biden is not a king. He cannot federalize the nation’s workforce and force employers to violate the conscience rights of their employees.”
President Biden, whose approval rating has been plunging in the polls, expressed disappointment over the Supreme Court ruling. He said he didn’t understand why the justices had to “block common-sense life-saving requirements for employees.”
Despite the Supreme Court decision, Biden urged “business leaders to immediately join those who have already stepped up – including one-third of Fortune 100 companies.”
He said businesses should “institute vaccination requirements to protect their workers, customers, and communities.”
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