BATON ROUGE, La. (KLFY) — Louisiana politicians and officials sounded off today on the new U.S. Supreme Court ruling that halted the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for businesses that aren’t involved in healthcare.
The mandate through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) would have required employers with over 100 employees to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine or weekly testing. At the same time, the Supreme Court will allow the administration to proceed with a vaccine mandate for most healthcare workers in the U.S.
Sen. Dr. Bill Cassidy said he joined 46 of his Senate colleagues and 132 members of the U.S. House in filing an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court against the mandate.
“Today’s ruling rejects federal government overreach. It is a win for personal liberties and the 80 million Americans affected by this decision,” said Cassidy. “People should get vaccinated, but President Biden should not be able to force [private businesses] to do it. The Supreme Court agrees.”
Attorney General Jeff Landry, who argued before the court that the mandate should be stopped, said in his Twitter feed today that he still has concerns.
“While I am ecstatic #SCOTUS agreed with us and upheld our victory at the Fifth Circuit over #OSHA’s mandate on private businesses, I am extremely concerned about the expansive power the Court has now given to the Secretary of HHS under the most flimsy regulatory authority. As I am hopeful the #OSHA decision brings relief to the millions of Americans whose lives were going to be impacted by #Biden’s overreach, I am devastated for our healthcare heroes whom the government is now forcing to violate their consciences in order to keep their jobs. I remain steadfast in my belief that healthcare decisions should be made by individuals, not dictated by bureaucrats intent on forcing medical procedures on people who do not want or need them.
La. Attorney General Jeff Landry, via Twitter
Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) CEO/President Stephen Waguespack also applauded the ruling:
This is great news for our members and the entire business community. The unconstitutional vaccine-or-test rules this administration put forward through OSHA would have put a massive burden on companies when many on Main Street are still recovering from the pandemic-induced economic shutdown and struggling to find workers. While we encourage everyone to consult with their doctor about getting vaccinated, there’s no doubt that a one-size fits-all approach is the wrong one. Employers across the country can rest easier tonight thanks to the Supreme Court’s decision.
LABI CEO/President Stephen Waguespack
U.S. House Minority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise said he felt the Supreme Court did not go far enough with today’s decision.
“This doesn’t go far enough,” said Scalise on Facebook. “Health care workers should NOT be subjected to this tyrannical mandate either.”
U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins called Biden’s vaccine mandate an abuse of power.
“My office has fought against COVID vaccine mandates since their inception,” said Higgins in a press statement. “While today’s ruling provides reprieve for many American workers, others in the health care industry are still subject to significant government overreach. We will continue to fight for personal freedoms and against oppressive government mandates… legally, peacefully, and within the parameters of the Constitution.”
Rep. Mike Johnson said he got the information about the ruling while on a flight earlier today.
“Reviewing it now, but it appears to be a critical victory for limited government and personal responsibility—at least as it pertains to the outrageous OSHA mandate,” he said. “The opposite outcome on the healthcare worker mandate is a great disappointment and will impose an extreme hardship on many of our area’s providers.”
The court’s ruling can be read below: