The White House on Tuesday took aim at Republican governors for opposing coronavirus vaccine mandates for businesses, accusing them of “putting politics ahead of public health.”
The sharp remarks from White House press secretaryJen Psakicame in response to news that Texas Gov.Greg Abbott(R) had signed an executive orderbanning COVID-19 vaccine mandatesfrom being implemented by any “entity” in the state, a direct challenge toPresident Biden’s forthcoming vaccine requirement for large private sector organizations.
“Governor Abbott’s executive order banning mandates and, I would also note, the announcement by Gov. DeSantis this morning essentially banning the implementation of mandates, fit a familiar pattern that we’ve seen of putting politics ahead of public health,” Psaki told reporters during a briefing Tuesday afternoon.
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DeSantis indicated in remarks at a press conference earlier Tuesday that he could take similar action to block vaccine mandates by implementing alaw shielding workersfrom being terminated for not abiding by them. Florida's health department also fined the county of Leon more than $3.5 million on Tuesday forviolating the state's banon COVID-19 vaccine passports.
The White House criticized Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s order banning businesses and other entities from enforcing Covid-19 vaccine mandates even as the Biden administration encourages employers to adopt them.
The move fits “a familiar pattern that we’ve seen of putting politics ahead of health,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday. She added later: “It’s not based on what is in the interest of the people you are governing.”
Abbott, a Republican, signed an order Monday banning vaccine mandates for workers and for consumers in his state. The order argued that the Biden administration is “bullying” private entities to implement vaccine mandates “in another instance of federal overreach,” setting up a showdown between his state and the federal government.
President Joe Biden has said his administration is close to issuing rules to require businesses with more than 100 employees to ensure workers are fully vaccinated or face weekly testing. The president announced the mandate -- which the White House said would affect about 80 million workers -- in September when Covid cases were rising, fueled by people who refused to get shots. He has also ordered federal contractors to require their workers be vaccinated.
Psaki is 100% correct about the moves that Abbott, DeSantis, and their ilk are making in regards to the banning of COVID vaccine mandates as “putting politics ahead of health.”