The Biden administration will not be able to enforce their vax-or-test mandates on private companies, says the Supreme Court. However, the mandate will remain in place for medical facilities that take Medicare and Medicaid.
“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 wrote.
In regards to the medical facility mandates, the Justices broke the other way.
“We agree with the Government that the [Health and Human Services] Secretary’s rule falls within the authorities that Congress has conferred upon him,” said the majority, writing that the rule “fits neatly within the language of the statute.”
“After all, ensuring that providers take steps to avoid transmitting a dangerous virus to their patients is consistent with the fundamental principle of the medical profession: first, do no harm,” the majority opinion read.
This story is developing…
BREAKING: Supreme Court blocks the Biden administration's vaccine-or-test rule for U.S. businesses, but allows a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for most health care workers. https://t.co/pvrYiiUU41
— The Associated Press (@AP) January 13, 2022
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