Supreme Court Starts Hearing Arguments on Biden’s Vaccine Mandates, Testing Rules
Summary from the AllSides News Team
On Friday, the Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments in two challenges to the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine and testing mandates for private businesses and health care workers.
One case is a challenge to the Biden administration’s plan for a vaccine-or-test mandate for private businesses with over 100 employees. The other is a challenge to a federal vaccine mandate for health care workers at facilities that receive government funding. The court's conservative majority reportedly expressed skepticism about the federal government's authority to enact such requirements during Friday's arguments, and voiced support for the issue being left up to states. The court's liberal minority, meanwhile, argued in favor of empowering the federal government to combat COVID-19 through vaccine rules and mandates. This marks the first time the nation's high court has weighed in on Biden's controversial vaccine mandates.
The hearings were covered prominently across the spectrum, with outlets such as CNN (Left bias) and Fox News (Right bias) offering live updates. A report from National Review (Right bias) described how liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor expressed confusion about the distinction between federal authority and state police powers. Reports on all sides highlighted how conservative Justice Samuel Alito hinted that the court may request extra time to consider the cases.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Center
Biden vaccine policies face Supreme Court test amid nationwide COVID-19 surgeWith over 100,000 Americans hospitalized for COVID-19 as a result of the highly contagious Omicron variant, the Supreme Court will hear oral argument Friday in two sets of challenges to the Biden administration’s authority to take action to combat the pandemic. In the first case, National Federation of Independent Business v. Department of Labor, the justices will consider the Biden administration’s attempt to impose a vaccine-or-test mandate for workers at large employers. In the second case, Biden v. Missouri, they will consider a vaccine mandate for health care workers at facilities that receive federal...
From the Left
Supreme Court To Decide Fate Of Biden’s Vaccine RulesIn early November, President Biden issued two sweeping federal rules aimed at getting as many workers as possible vaccinated against COVID-19. Whether those controversial rules survive is now in the hands of the Supreme Court.
The justices are scheduled to hear oral arguments Friday in a pair of cases revolving around the emergency regulations. Republican leaders and business groups sued to stop the rules from going into effect, leading to injunctions and differing opinions in the lower courts. After groups filed emergency requests with the Supreme Court, the justices decided to expedite both...
From the Right
Supreme Court Begins Hearing Arguments To Biden’s Vaccine RulesThe Supreme Court is set to hold a public session Friday to hear challenges to President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate rules.
Biden announced two policies in 2021 that affect almost 100 million workers. The first policy is a vaccine and testing rule for private business with 100+ employees. The second policy is a vaccine mandate for any health care worker operating out of a facility that receives Medicaid and Medicare funding, minus those who qualify for religious and medical exemptions. While the policies were announced in November, enforcement has not yet begun due...
AllSides Picks
April 18th, 2024
April 18th, 2024
April 18th, 2024
Discuss & Debate role of government
Situation Rooms and their Efficacy in Elections
April 24 at 10am PT / 1pm ET Mediators Beyond Borders International