Supreme Court Will Deliberate Biden’s Federal Vaccine Mandates

The U.S. Supreme Court is deliberating whether it will allow or block the Biden administration from mandating millions of Americans to get Covid-19 vaccinations.

Thus far, the court has refused to block mandates from local and state authorities. However, its response to federal vaccination mandates has differed.

The Supreme Court’s decisions in each of these federal cases will set precedents that can majorly impact what power the executive branch has, not only with Covid-19 but with countless other situations.

Already, the Biden administration has faced roadblocks from the court in past vaccine requirement attempts. Three of these mandates—a requirement for the country’s 10 million health care workers, a requirement for companies of over 100 employees and a requirement for some federal contractors—have been impeded by court rulings.

The rationale for many of these rulings, which have occurred under a Supreme Court with a 6-3 Republican majority, have involved claims of federal overreach, and of downplaying the scientific reasoning for vaccine necessity.

On Jan. 7, the Supreme Court will hear arguments on the vaccine mandate for health care workers, and the mandate to either test or vaccinate for large employers. The lawsuits remain in the preliminary stage, meaning that the court will not yet make final rulings but will determine whether or not to freeze the mandates while the litigation is underway.