Vaccine Mandate Temporarily Halted by Federal Court

A mandate advanced by the Biden Administration calling for the vaccination of all federal contractors has been put on hold by a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia.

In his ruling, Judge R. Stan Baker said that even while acknowledging the damage that has been wrought by Covid 19, “this Court must preserve the rule of law and ensure that all branches of government act within the bounds of their constitutionally granted authorities.”

The court order further restricts the Biden Administration from enforcing the mandate in “all covered contracts in any state or territory of the United States of America.”

The mandate as proposed has generated vigorous opposition within the construction industry, among contractors who have said that projects could likely be delayed for the simple reason that many workers would prefer to quit their jobs rather than submit to the mandate.

Baker’s ruling added that the mandate will “have a major impact on the economy at large, as it limits contractors’ and members of the workforce’s ability to perform work on federal contracts. Accordingly, it appears to have vast economic and political significance.”

The Judge also said that his ruling does “nothing more than maintain the status quo; entities will still be free to encourage their employees to get vaccinated, and the employees will still be free to choose to be vaccinated.”

The Biden mandate, issued as an executive order three months ago, was set to become effective as of January 18.

White House spokesman Jen Psaki, in a press conference, said the Administration was prepared to fight the matter out in court.

“The reason that we proposed these requirements is that we know they work, and we are confident in our ability legally to make these happen across the country,” she remarked.

By Garry Boulard

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