Biden faces opposition to new vaccine mandates

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 5:59 PM PT – Sunday, September 12, 2021

Top GOP state officials are decrying Joe Biden’s new vaccine requirements as they gear up to take on the federal government. On Sunday, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) said the move by the Biden administration would cause issues.

This comes as Biden recently announced businesses with 100 employees or more would need to mandate vaccines or have employees tested weekly. However, some workers won’t have the chance to opt out of taking the vaccine. The rule is reportedly set to be issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) soon.

“When you look at the OSHA statutes that are being used, I think they’re really on shaky ground as to whether they can really force this or not. So, it’s subject to legal challenge,” said Christie.

“Sometimes, when you’re a leader, you have to go in and use a sledgehammer … But this one was not the time to do it.” @GovChristie tells @GStephanopoulos that Pres. Biden’s new COVID-19 vaccine mandates for companies will “harden opposition.” https://t.co/v81ip0pEQk pic.twitter.com/WnjVvIthmJ

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) September 12, 2021

Others, including Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R), have said Biden’s mandate is an overreach of the federal government’s authority. While Hutchinson supports vaccinations, he said federal mandates on private businesses are not the solution.

“I’ve never seen this type of federal action in terms of healthcare, in terms of vaccinations. It’s always been done at the state level and let’s think about this for a second, we have some very aggressive governors from blue states, but I’m not aware of any governor from any state that said we want to mandate businesses to require vaccinations,” stated Hutchinson. “None of them have done that and yet the federal government steps in.”

In response to President Biden’s Covid-19 action plan: pic.twitter.com/550XsT704V

— Gov. Asa Hutchinson (@AsaHutchinson) September 9, 2021

Other GOP governors have vowed to sue the government over new vaccination measures in which Biden said recently, “have at it.”

The dismissal to threats comes as Biden has openly criticized those who remain unvaccinated, blaming them for COVID cases continuing to spread. Biden’s plan also includes fines of up to $14,000 per violation to employers that refuse to comply. Lawyers said that now the public will have to wait and see what OSHA’s final version of the mandate will say, warning there’s a long road ahead.

MORE NEWS: N.Y. Hospital To Stop Delivering Babies After Dozens Of Staff Members Quit Over Vaccine Mandate