White House tells businesses to proceed with vaccine mandate despite court-ordered pause
The White House on Monday said businesses should move forward with President Joe Biden's vaccine and testing requirements for private businesses, despite a federal appeals court ordering a temporary halt to the rules.
"People should not wait," White House Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters during a briefing. "They should continue to move forward and make sure they're getting their workplace vaccinated."
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, considered one of the most conservative appellate courts in the country, halted the requirements Saturday pending review, writing that "the petitions give cause to believe there are grave statutory and constitutional issues with the Mandate."
The Biden administration has until Monday evening to respond.
The court-ordered pause came a day after the requirements went into effect, starting the countdown for businesses with 100 or more employees to ensure their staff have received the shots required for full vaccination by Jan. 4. After that date, unvaccinated workers must submit a negative Covid-19 test weekly to enter the workplace. All unvaccinated workers must start wearing face masks indoors at their workplaces starting Dec. 5.
The Republican attorneys general in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Utah, as well as several companies, requested the pause. They argue that the requirements exceed the authority of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which will enforce the mandates, and amount to an unconstitutional delegation of power to the executive branch by Congress.
Republican attorneys general in at least 26 states have challenged Biden's vaccine and testing requirements in five different U.S. appeals courts since last Friday. The Republican National Committee said it has also challenged the requirements in the D.C. Court of Appeals.