President Joe Biden’s mandate for the workers in the federal government to be vaccinated against Covid was struck down by a Texas judge on Friday.
The Biden Administration cannot discriminate or punish federal workers who fail to get the vaccine. Biden had ordered the federal government’s 3.5 million workers to get the shot by Nov. 22, or get a religion or medical exemption. If not, the punishment included being fired.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown, based in Galveston, Texas, said the demand by Biden was a “bridge too far.”
Trump appointed Judge Brown, who said in his ruling that there are less invasive public health measures for federal workers, including social distancing, remote working, and masking and that it’s important to protect “the liberty of individuals to make intensely personal decisions according to their own convictions.”
According to the White House, 93 percent of federal employees have taken at least one Covid shot.
The ruling is another setback for Biden. Earlier, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the mandate for businesses. The court upheld the shot mandate for health care workers in companies that receive federal medical payments.
The U.S. Justice Department said it will appeal the decision. Jen Psaki, Press Secretary for Biden, said the White House is confident it has the legal authority in this case.
