Justices spar over vaccine mandates as COVID jolts Supreme Court
ABC News
The Supreme Court on Friday wrestled with the power of federal agencies to impose vaccine mandates or vaccine-or-test requirements on tens of millions of workers.
The Supreme Court on Friday wrestled with the unprecedented COVID-19 public health emergency, authorities' urgent push to protect Americans and the power of federal agencies to impose vaccine mandates or vaccine-or-test requirements on tens of millions of workers.
The court -- during nearly four hours of oral arguments in two highly expedited cases -- appeared to fully comprehend the gravity of the moment for American public health, but many justices voiced reservations about the federal government's authority to impose such policies nationwide.
At issue is a pair of emergency regulations released late last year by the Biden administration and challenged by a coalition of Republican-led states and business groups.
One rule, by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and set to take effect on Monday, requires private employers of 100 or more employees to ensure they're vaccinated or subject the unvaccinated to a mandatory mask-and-testing policy, at the company's expense.
