Gordon Welcomes News OSHA Won’t Enforce Biden Vaccine Mandate

Gov. Mark Gordon is welcoming news that a federal agency is suspending enforcement of President Joe Bidens proposed Covid vaccination mandate.

November 19, 20212 min read

Gordon in Jackson
(Cowboy State Daily Staff)

Gov. Mark Gordon is welcoming news that a federal agency is suspending enforcement of President Joe Biden’s proposed coronavirus vaccination mandate.

Gordon, in a Facebook post, said he was pleased to hear that the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration will not enforce a requirement that workers at companies with more than 100 employees get the vaccine or be tested regularly for coronavirus.

“This is welcome news for Wyoming,” Gordon said. “We will continue to fight these unlawful federal policies.”

OSHA’s Wednesday announcement came after a federal appeals court in New Orleans maintained a stay of the mandate issued by a lower court.

A three-judge panel for the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Nov. 12 that plaintiffs behind lawsuits filed against the federal government over the mandate would probably be successful in their claims that the Biden administration had overreached its authority with the mandate.

Biden earlier this year announced his plan to require vaccinations for federal employees, health care workers and workers at companies that employ more than 100.

OSHA was given responsibility for drafting rules to put the mandate in place for large employers. In the case of health care workers, organizations whose employees are not vaccinated could face a loss of Medicaid and Medicare funding.

Wyoming and 10 other states filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration’s proposed mandate for large employers earlier this month, challenging the administration’s ability to dictate to private companies and individuals.

“These legal actions are essential to stopping the unconstitutional mandates from the Biden administration,” Gordon said at the time.

The lawsuit was one of three the state filed to challenge Biden’s mandate. 

A second, filed Nov. 10, was filed against the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services over its rule requiring health care workers to be vaccinated. The third, filed Oct. 29, challenges the administration’s vaccine mandate for federal contractors and federally contracted employees.

The legal action has been endorsed by Wyoming’s Legislature in the only bill to clear its recent seven-day special session.

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